A man was shot in the head outside a West Kilburn hostel following a fight over class A drugs, a court heard.

Errol James, 51, of Bruckner Street, West Kilburn, and Romello Briggs-Leon, 25, of Second Avenue, Kensal Town appeared at the Old Bailey today (September 10) charged with murder, manslaughter and possession of a firearm.

They are both charged with killing Iraj Seifi, 46, of Maida Vale.

Mr Seifi, a delivery driver for Tesco, was found suffering from gunshot wounds in Bravington Road on the afternoon of January 29.

He was treated by medics at the scene before being taken to a central London hospital where he remained in a critical condition until he died on February 7.

The court heard that Mr Seifi had just under a quarter kilo of heroin worth in the region of £11,800 and £14,470 “if sold wholesale” and that Mr James and Mr Briggs-Leon had gone to the flat to take the drugs off him.

Daniel Robinson, prosecuting, said: “In a short time they did just that.”

He said a fight broke out and the two men ran out of the flat and into the communal hallway, but Mr Seifi caught them as they were trying to get out of the front door.

Mr Robinson said: “He wrestled one of the men to the ground in the front garden, and he was on top of him on the floor. Then the other man intervened. He walked up to Mr Seifi and shot him once in the head with a handgun.”

No cartridges were found at the scene, only a bullet in Mr Seifi’s body during a post-mortem, which revealed it had travelled from his head, through his jaw and into his right shoulder.

The court heard the day before he died Mr Seifi drove to Bravington Road where his brother Javad Seifi lived with tenant Gary Moulden, but his brother wasn’t there.

Mr Robinson said he stayed the night and contacted a phone line that was used by local drug dealers to sell drugs.

He then sent a series of texts to his brother saying a “customer was coming and he didn’t want to be on his own,” Mr Robinson said, but his brother didn’t respond.

Moments after Mr Moulden let two men into the room with Mr Seifi, he “heard a crash” and one man shout “no that is not enough”.

The prosecution said the two men ran out of the room, followed by Mr Seifi, who ultimately paid with his life.

Mr Robinson added: “Errol James fired the shot that killed Mr Seifi, but we say they are both equally responsible for his death. They went to 225 Bravington Road together and with a loaded gun in order to take drugs from Mr Seifi, by force if necessary.

“The gun was loaded with ammunition so that it could be fired by Mr James if the need arose, as it did.”

The defendants deny the charges. The case continues.