A thief who allegedly killed an actor who appeared in a Bond film with a fatal overdose of the chemsex drug GHB described himself as a "pharmacist", a court heard.

Gerald Matovu, 25, is accused of killing "adoring father" Eric Michels, 54, after he was found dead at his home in Chessington on August 17 of last year.

It is alleged Mr Michels died as part of a plot by Matovu and his co-accused Brandon Dunbar, 23, to date gay men on apps such as Grindr and steal from them.

The Old Bailey heard the pair targeted 12 men aged between 21 and 53 over 21 months, in which eight were knocked out with the Class C drug.

The eight would fall unconscious after being spiked - one for ten hours - and wake up disoriented with their property stolen and personal details photographed.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC outlined Mr Michels background until his death last August.

He said: "Together, they had two sons and a daughter.

"At the time of the events leading to his death, two of their children lived with their mother, while the other son lived with his father in a three-bedroomed house in Bolton Road, Chessington.

"Although the divorce was in 2010, Eric Michels and his wife had separated in 2004 after she found out that he had been involved in a relationship with another man.

"Despite the break-up of their marriage, Mr and Ms Michels maintained an amicable relationship, and he was an adoring father to his three children.

"Mr Michels had a responsible job and was on the leadership team of a large energy company.

"His close friend whom had known Mr Michels since 2011, describes him as a generally fit and healthy man, although he had a heart condition and struggled with depression.

"Since coming out as gay, Mr Michels had enjoyed a number of relatively long-term relationships, but in recent times he had spoken to Mr Doyle of feeling lonely and actively looking for a relationship."

Mr Michels frequently visited Soho to meet men and would take them back to his home and the night before his death told his son that he was going out in the area, the court heard.

Mr Rees told the jury: "At around midnight as he left the Village Bar, Mr Michels made contact with Mr Matovu on Grindr.

"You will see their message exchanges in the course of the evidence but essentially, they agree to have sex.

"Mr Michels suggested they went to his place but added that Mr Matovu would have to travel with him to south-west London.

"In the course of their message exchanges, which took place on both Grindr and Whatsapp, Mr Matovu asked Mr Michels whether he was into 'chemmz' to which Mr Michels replied 'Yeah like Charlie [cocaine]'.

"Mr Michels offered to pick Mr Matovu up in an Uber and Mr Matovu, who told him his name was Perry, asked Mr Michels to get him a soft drink on the way.

"Mr Matovu informed Mr Michels that he had some coke for him and asked whether he should bring it, to which Mr Michels replied 'sure'."

It was said the victim met Matovu and went back to Chessington.

Mr Rees also described a series of victims both Matovu and Dunbar targeted in similar circumstances, mainly through Grindr and that Matovu once described himself as a "pharmacist".

He said: "[another victim] recalls that both of the defendants were using drugs.

"They sniffed a white powdered substance and used a tiny syringe to inject a clear liquid into their arms.

"At one point, Mr Matovu described himself as a pharmacist.

"They offered [the victim] drugs but he declined, although he did take some Viagra. All three men had sex together."

Mr Rees said the pair would steal laptops, phones, banks cards and "extraordinarily a toilet brush" from their victims.

The trial continues.