A murdered Watford man, whose severed thumb is all that has been found, was kidnapped and killed after a plan hatched by his former brother-in-law, a court has heard.

Mahmood Ahmad, 41, was abducted from outside his home in Radlett Road, Watford in the early hours of Sunday, March 7.

Mr Ahmad's body has never been recovered, but days after he returned from work and was bundled into a car, part of his left hand, probably dropped by a bird, was found in Ilford.

Opening the case at St Albans Crown Court today (Thursday) Stuart Trimmer, prosecuting said Mr Ahmad's brutal death was at the instigation of 33-year-old Mohammed Riaz, who had been married to Mr Ahmad's sister, Nahid.

The violent relationship ended and Nahid went into hiding having made complaints of abuse, violence and rape, the court heard.

She moved to Burnley and became divorced in an "Islamic manner" but Riaz managed to track her down, the jury heard.

Mr Trimmer said only close relatives knew of her whereabouts. Having burgled and flooded her sister's Nottingham home he left a phone message threatening to burn the house down, the prosecution said.

Mr Trimmer said: "The purpose was to intimidate for information and to punish the family for keeping her away from him."

He said Riaz then turned his attention to his ex wife's older brother Mahmood Ahmad.

Mr Trimmer said CCTV evidence showed a Civic car connected to Riaz making a "reccy" the day before the kidnap of Mr Ahmad.

The next morning between 12.45 and 1.30am Mr Ahmad, a waiter returned from the Lahore restaurant in Aldgate and parked his car on the drive of his Watford home.

His wife heard his car pull up, but when he did not come in the house texted him to see where he was.

A reply from his phone said "busy phone later" but by this time Mr Ahmad was probably dead, said Mr Trimmer.

A neighbour looking out of their window had seen two men lead another into a Civic car before it was driven off.

The prosecution claim the driver was Riaz, who took Mr Ahmad to Redo House, a block of flats in Manor Park, East London, where he was tortured before being killed.

Between 2am and 5am that morning cries were heard by neighbours from a flat of "let me go" and "leave me alone" the court heard.

Mr Trimmer said: "One describes a scream full of fear or terror". Riaz's sister Sabra Sultana, owned the flat and arranged to have the new bathroom removed the day after she was released from questioning by police, the court heard.

Despite a clean up operation there were spatters of Mr Ahmad's diluted blood on the bathroom wall and floor, the jury was told.

The severed thumb had been cut with what looked like a band saw, and Sultana's boyfriend butcher Armizada Hussain had access to the equipment to dispose of the body, the court heard.

Phone evidence put him and others at a butchers in Park Lane, Tottenham at the critical time, said Mr Trimmer.

Mr Trimmer said: "The body of Mahmood Ahmed has never been recovered.

"The section of the hand found was examined and the conclusion was that it was cut by a mechanical saw such as a band saw.

"Only the defendants can say what they were doing at the butchers shop.

"But they were at the place where the victim was killed and at a location shortly after where the equipment was to cut up the body."

Mohammed Riaz, of NFA; Faisal Chowdhury, 18, of Linton Gardens, Newham; Arnold Yousaf, 18, of Cann Hall Road, East London, Sharif Mohammed, of Vista Drive, Ilford and Armizada Hussain, 36, of Churston Avenue, Plaistow, deny murder.

Riaz, Chowdhury and Yousaf deny conspiracy to kidnap. All six defendants deny conspiracy to falsely imprison.

Sultana, 35, of Kiwi Terrace, Ilford and Hussain deny perverting the course of justice.

Riaz, Hussain and Mohammed deny another charge of perverting the course of justice by disposing of body parts.

Mohammed also denies a similar charge in connection with disposal of the car allegedly used in the abduction