A MAN who helped his brother to slaughter three men with a Mac 10 sub machine gun after a drug deal went wrong was jailed for life this morning (Thursday). Kevan Thakrar, 21, of Lomond Way, Stevenage, together with his brother Miran, lined the three up in

A MAN who helped his brother to slaughter three men with a Mac 10 sub machine gun after a drug deal went wrong was jailed for life this morning (Thursday).

Kevan Thakrar, 21, of Lomond Way, Stevenage, together with his brother Miran, lined the three up in the living room of a family home before they were gunned down.

Keith Cowell 52, his son Matthew, 17, and a third man, Tony Dulieu, 33, stood no chance.

It was Miran, 24, who pulled the trigger and he was jailed for 42 years in August after being found guilty of the three murders as well as two charges of attempting to murder two women who had been in the house.

Today Kevan was sentenced. He too had been convicted in August of the three murders and the two attempted killings.

Passing sentence on Kevan Thakrar at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Justice Cooke told him: "You acted together with your brother playing your parts in the planned attacks. Whilst I am satisfied Miran played the leading part, you played a willing part."

He was told he must spend a minimum of 35 years behind bars before he can be considered for release.

Claire Evans 23, the girlfriend of Matthew Cowell, and Christine Jennings, 54, who were both in the house at the time were repeatedly stabbed and shot by the brothers in an attempt to eliminate any witnesses.

Amazingly the two women and Claire's three-year-old daughter survived.

The murders happened on the evening of August 28 last year at the Cowells' family home in Plaw Hatch Close, Bishops Stortford.

Following the murders Miran Thakrar fled to northern Cyprus with his girlfriend Amanda Dansie of High Street, Buntingford. Kevan tried to join his brother but was arrested.

Three other people who assisted the killers to evade justice have each been imprisoned.

In August Dansie, 21, was jailed four years after being found guilty of helping Miran Thakrar flee to northern Cyprus. So too was his friend Yilay Tufensoy, 20, who had helped him.

And the brothers' father, Atul Thakrar, was also jailed for trying to help his youngest son flee the country.