‘Blasted with a shotgun twice at close range’
Brothers deny murdering HMRC officer from Mountain Ash who was ‘also a drugs dealer’
TWO brothers accused of shooting a “drug dealing” taxman have appeared in court charged with his murder.
Stephen Bennett, 53, and Edward Bennett, 47, are accused of murdering Mark Jones, who worked as a valuation officer for the HMRC and, in court, it was said he sold drugs.
The 43-year-old was found with gunshot wounds in a lay-by on the A4059 in Mountain Ash on July 26 last year.
He died in hospital on September 26, 2015, after 15 operations on his wounds.
The court was told he had been shot twice.
Stephen Bennett, of Masefield Way, Pontypridd, and brother Edward, of Station Terrace, Penrhiwceiber, both deny murdering father-of-one Mr Jones, from Mountain Ash.
Prosecutor Christopher Clee QC began the opening at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, where he spoke in front of a jury of eight men and four women.
“At about 7.30pm on July 26, 2015, Mark Jones had driven to a lay-by off the A4059,” he said.
“Whilst in his car he was shot twice at close range. He later died from his injuries. The two people the prosecution say who were responsible are these two defendants Stephen Bennett and Edward Bennett. We say they are guilty of Mark Jones’ murder.”
In a series of transcribed texts, phone calls and online messages, the pros- ecution said that Edward Bennett owed Mr Jones “a sum of money”.
The transcriptions also revealed that in July Edward Bennett applied for a £60,000 loan which was refused, as well as one for £25,000 and one for £1,000 which were also refused.
A message sent to his son read out in court said: “I’ve always said I wanted you to buy the house. I haven’t got a penny. Your mother wanted to sell anyway and I’ve got debts I have to pay. I can’t go into any more debt.”
Referring to the messages, Mr Clee said: “Was Edward Bennett significantly in debt to Mr Jones? Was he under pressure to pay that debt?”
An online message from Edward Bennett to his brother Stephen, the court heard, also said: “Have you still got that thing? Cut it down and we’ll use it”, which the prosecution believe was referring to a gun. Mr Clee then told the jury: “The incident happened just after 7.30pm on July 26. It was entirely unexpected and it happened very quickly.”
He read summaries of evidence to be heard later in the trial from witnesses who were at the lay-by, and in one, an AA driver who had stopped for a cigarette, reported hearing “two loud bangs”.
Another saw Mark Jones being dragged out of the road towards the pavement by two men who then disappeared from view, down a path and into nearby bushes.
Mr Clee said one of the witnesses had reported seeing one of the men holding a gun. He said a passing nurse looked after Mark Jones until paramedics arrived at the scene, and the court heard he had a wound to the rear of the left abdomen.
Mr Clee added: “His left upper arm had a severe blast injury. He had a shattered humerus and a severely injured elbow joint.”
Mr Clee then told the jury about a gun cleaning kit found in the attic of Stephen Bennett’s home, and said there was a “strong chance” it had been used to clean firearms.
The search of Bennett’s home also found training shoes with gunshot residue on them and worn by Stephen Bennett.
Mr Clee said DNA tests were done on the shoes, and Stephen Bennett’s was found on them, as well as Mark Jones’ blood.
He added: “If all that means Stephen Bennett was the usual wearer and that it was Mark Jones’ blood, how did it get there?
“Edward Bennett denied shooting Mark Jones, saying Mr Jones had ‘many powerful enemies’.
“Stephen Bennett said he had gone to Tesco at 7.30pm that evening to buy Prosecco but it was bought much earlier, at 6.12pm.
Concluding the opening, Mr Clee said: “The prosecution believes they have acted jointly in carrying out this attack. They were in it together.”