FOUR men have been accused of the callous, cold-blooded execution of traveller John Finney whose body was found dumped at a garage block in Ickleford.William Harbage QC opened the prosecution s case at St Albans Crown Court this morning (Monday).He to

FOUR men have been accused of the "callous, cold-blooded execution" of traveller John Finney whose body was found dumped at a garage block in Ickleford.

William Harbage QC opened the prosecution's case at St Albans Crown Court this morning (Monday).

He told the jury: "This is case about a particularly grisly murder.

"On March 14 last year a naked, headless and handless body was found near Hitchin. It was the body of a man called John Finney.

"This was the callous cold-blooded execution of a man against whom they bore a grudge."

The court heard how Mr Finney was abducted from his Mitsubishi Pajero near his home at Park Farm, in Northaw Road West, at about 7pm on February 29. He was driven away in a blue van.

Mr Harbage said: "The driver's window of Mr Finney's Pajero had been smashed.

"The keys were still in the ignition and Finney's mobile phone was still on the front passenger seat."

The court was also told it is believed, through analysing the contents of his stomach, Mr Finney was murdered on the day he was abducted.

The four defendants in the dock are Mark Curran, 35, of Millbridge, Dollis Valley Way, Barnet; Norman Jones, 50, of Dukes Head Yard, Highgate; his son Joseph Jones, 24, of Crescent Road, New Barnet; and Gary Mark Lattimore, 40, of no fixed abode.

They deny the charges.

The trial, which is expected to last for six weeks, continues.