A brothel-keeper died after a knife was thrust upwards into his chest, a murder trial jury heard.

Thai national Tinakorn Tuekpia was pronounced dead less than half an hour after he was attacked when a gang of masked men broke into his home.

Mr Tuekpia, 42, was murdered on his birthday during a bungled robbery at the house he ran as a brothel in Little Horton Lane, Bradford, the prosecution has alleged.

Syed Bukhari, 28, of Ringwood Road, Canterbury, Bradford, denies murder and conspiracy to rob.

The jury has been told that Subhan Khan, 21, of Tern Street, Canterbury, Bradford; Israr Hussain, 28, of Grantham Road, Little Horton, and a teenager, who was 17 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

Forensic pathologist Elizabeth Brookes Lin told Bradford Crown Court yesterday Mr Tuekpia died from a single stab wound to the centre of his chest.

The 10.5cm deep wound was made by a cutting blade with a single edge, such as a kitchen knife.

Dr Brookes Lin, speaking to the courtroom by video link from Canada, said the knife entered the body at a sharp angle and penetrated the heart.

Mr Tuekpia had no defensive wounds.

A statement was read to the court from paramedic David Bamford, of Keighley Ambulance Station.

He said he received an emergency call to Little Horton Lane at 1.07 am on August 17 last year.

He saw smashed French windows at the house and man with a large puncture wound under the heart. Attempts to resuscitate him were stopped at 1.34am and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The jury has heard that Mr Tuekpia came to the UK in 2007. He lost his job as a chef and ran the brothel with his pregnant girlfriend, Nitaya Cheumeraeng.

Prosecutor Tom Bayliss QC has alleged the four-strong gang believed up to £25,000 was hidden under floorboards at the property.

Mr Bayliss said Bukhari denied being present at the robbery. The Crown alleges he was at the scene and fatally stabbed Mr Tuekpia. “He was the man wielding the knife, he was the actual killer,” Mr Bayliss said.

The trial continues.