THE alleged murder of schoolgirl Tulay Goren has been described in court as a "wake up call" over the issue of honour killings in Britain.

Tulay, 15, disappeared from her home in Glastonbury Avenue, Woodford Green, in January 1999 and has not been seen since.

Police believe the Woodbridge High School pupil was the victim of an 'honour killing' because of her relationship with a 30-year-old man, Halil Unal, who her family allegedly disapproved of because he was from a different branch of Islam.

It is exactly a year since the Woodbridge High School pupil’s father Mehmet Goren, 49, and uncles Ali, 56, and Cuma, 42, were first charged with her murder – which they all deny.

In his closing speech at the Old Bailey, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw told the jury that it was "shocking" for a "feudal" crime of this type to have taken place in modern Britain.

Mr Laidlaw said: "If there are those in this country who believe we do not face similar problems as other countries where honour violence occurs, this case will be something of a wake-up call."

He said it was "impossible to understand" why Tulay’s father – and her uncles - allegedly stabbed her.

He described the alleged murder as brutal and "cold blooded" and accused the three men of showing no remorse.

Mr Laidlaw also accused the brothers of lying to try to escape conviction.

Last week Mehmet told the court that it was Ali who told him to kill Tulay – a claim his brother denied.

Mehmet Goren, of Navestock Crescent, Woodford Green, Ali Goren, of Brettenham Road, Walthamstow and Cuma Goren, of Evesham Avenue, Walthamstow, all also deny conspiring to murder Tulay’s boyfriend Mr Unal between May 1998 and February 1999.

The defence is due to sum up its case today (Tuesday).