A property magnate accused of murdering a business associate acted like a king and treated everyone else as rubbish, a court heard on Thursday.

The prosecution has alleged at the Old Bailey that millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten hired two hit men to murder Mohammed Sabir Raja after they fell out over business debts.

The dead man's son Amjad told the court: "He (Mr van Hoogstraten) was very abusive and said my father was nothing. He said... that my father was a maggot."

He formed the impression that the defendant, who he described as a loan shark, "wants to portray himself as a king and everyone else as rubbish and nothing".

'On guard'

Mr Raja was stabbed and then shot by two men at his home in Sutton, Surrey, on 2 July 1999.

Amjad Raja said that after his father has started proceedings against Mr van Hoogstraten, the Asian businessman told his family to be on their guard.

Mr van Hoogstraten has denied murdering Mr Raja, 62.

Mr van Hoogstraten, 57, of Framfield, Uckfield, East Sussex, also denies conspiring with David Croke, 59, of Bolney Road, East Moulsecoomb, Brighton, and Robert Knapp, 55, of Convent Street, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, and others to murder Mr Raja between 1 January 1 and 3 July, 1999.

Mr Croke and Mr Knapp deny murdering Mr Raja. The prosecution alleges they were hired by van Hoogstraten to carry out the assassination.

Amjad Raja told the jury he had once met Mr van Hoogstraten while discussing one of his father's properties with another business associate, Michaal Hamdan.

"I told Michaal 'My father is a thorn in your butt' and he laughed.

"Mr van Hoogstraten stepped forward and said 'Those thorns - we pick them out, one by one and we break them'. He was in a serious mood."

Mr Raja said his father first met Mr van Hoogstraten in 1988 when he wanted to buy some properties.

'Arrangement fee'

"Van Hoogstraten was a loan shark - he lent us money and we had to repay him back with interest. He asked for extra securities from us. I had to take a �10,000 cheque and drop it at one of his offices before I could actually see him.

"It was an initial arrangement fee that was just for his benefit.

"He always undervalues everything so that he wants extra security and extra deeds."

The trial continues.