A 35-year-old man who told police his half brother had been involved in a robbery attempt was killed in a family feud, a court has heard.
Andrew Scanlan was killed by his half brothers Mark Baigent, 27, from Peterborough and James Baigent, 30, of Camberley, Surrey, the court heard.
Alongside Jeff Woods, 36, of Bracknell, Berkshire, they deny murdering him near Aldershot and dismembering his body.
All three are appearing at Cambridge Crown Court charged with murder.
The court heard that they beat and stabbed him to death before chopping off his head and hands.
'Dead man walking'
Prosecutor Timothy Spencer said the Baigent brothers were full of "hate" for their half-brother and dating back to 1998 when Mark Baigent had been jailed for attempted robbery after Mr Scanlan reported him to police.
They were joined in the dock by James' wife Charlotte, 28, who was having an affair with Mr Woods and faces two charges of assisting them in the cover-up of the murder.
Mr Spencer said the animosity had escalated when the brothers' mother Linda was appointed the sole carer of Mr Scanlan's three children after he and his wife Julie were declared unfit to care for their family.
Linda Baigent died of cancer exactly one month before it is alleged the brothers killed Mr Scanlan at a remote woodland area at Sandy Hill, near Aldershot, Hampshire.
"Once she died Andrew Scanlan was a dead man walking," he said.
The court heard how on 17 November 2006 Mark and James appeared at Mr Scanlan's house and lured him to Dorset under the pretext of sorting out their late mother's will.
His remains were later found with head and hands in one grave and his body in a second grave nearby.
The trial continues