Two men were sentenced to long periods behind bars at St Albans Crown Court today (Friday, September 1) for plotting to murder a vulnerable woman in Hitchin.

Mukhtar Lail, 53, offered Trefor Jones, 38, £15,000 to murder the woman by injecting her with heroin while he stayed at her home in January 2022.

Lail also gave Jones detailed instructions on how to render the victim unconscious should she resist.

The woman was asleep on her sofa when she was woken by her dog howling and found Jones standing over her.

In her impact statement, the victim told the court that the incident had left her unable to leave her home and "too paranoid" to maintain friendships.

After being told about the incident, a family member of the victim raised the alarm to Herts police and an investigation was launched. Lail was subsequently arrested two days later, followed by Jones on January 25, 2022.

Both were charged and remanded into custody ahead of trial.

On January 6, 2023, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts for both men.

At their sentencing today, Lail, formerly of Meadowsweet Way in Stotfold, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of eight years, after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder and perverting the course of justice.

Prior to the trial, Lail had pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property, in relation to a large amount of cash which was seized from his home during the investigation.

He will serve an additional five years and eight months on top of his life sentence in relation to these offences.

Meanwhile, Jones, formerly of Sedgley Close in Southsea, was given an eight-year sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder.

A restraining order has also been put in place, preventing Jones and Lail from contacting the victim.

A third man, Bobby Dhunna, 39, formerly of Clarion Close in Offley, was also sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment in connection with the incident, having pleaded guilty to witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice and possession of cannabis during a separate court appearance.

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim described the devastating effect the ordeal has had on her and hopes her story will encourage other women to speak out.

“I had to leave the place I’d called home all my life. I now do not have any friends as I’m too paranoid they might end up setting me up for you to harm me.

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"I do not go out anymore and, if I must, I do not like to walk anywhere in case someone else comes to hurt me. I just pray that no one else is following me.

“I fear for my family when they come to visit me, in case you have sent someone to try and hurt them.

“Sometimes I’m so scared it physically hurts and I cry all the time.

“I hope to encourage other females that are too scared to stop this happening to them and I now appreciate every day.”

Detective Superintendent Carl Foster, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “This was a shocking case involving dangerous men targeting a vulnerable victim.

"Thankfully she was unharmed and the alarm was raised to police who were able to safeguard her.

“I’d like to praise the victim for her strength and bravery throughout; she had doubts about reporting anything to police, as she was sure she would not be believed.

"I hope this reassures people that we take all reports seriously and will do whatever we possibly can to safeguard victims, collate evidence and bring offenders to justice.

“The sentences passed down reflect the gravity of these offences and I hope it provides a sense of comfort and closure for the victim.”