Car buyer ‘ruthlessly shot dead in robbery’
A YOUNG man from Manchester lured to Merseyside to buy a car was ‘ruthlessly’ gunned down following an alleged armed robbery, a murder trial has heard.
Miguel Reynolds, 21, formerly of Whalley Range and Moss Side, was fatally shot in Netherton, prosecutors allege. He later died in hospital.
A witness described it as a ‘merciless execution,’ jurors have been told.
Seven men have gone on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of murder; conspiracy to rob; conspiracy to possess firearms; and conspiracy to possess ammunition. All seven deny all the charges.
A ‘pre-robbery meeting’ was held in defendant Dale Avery’s back garden in Netherton, the court heard.
Liam Watson, Paul Blackhurst, James Harrison and Jake Mawhinney were there, jurors were told. As Mr Reynolds and his friend parked up near a row of locked garages, they were met by three of the accused - Mr Watson, Kyle Sanders and Joseph McKeever.
Mr Mawhinney, Mr Harrison and Mr Blackhurst were stood nearby as ‘muscle,’ prosecutor Ian Unsworth QC told the court. As one of the men ‘fumbled with a lock,’ Mr Watson ‘pulled a handgun’ and demanded money from Mr Reynolds, jurors heard.
Mr Reynolds and his pal handed over £2,000 before being ordered to leave, the court was told. Mr Reynolds then pursued the alleged robbers, the court heard. After he chased the men – who split up – a shot was fired, but it did not hit Mr Reynolds, the jury heard.
Mr Reynolds chased Mr Watson onto Assissian Crescent, before he was ‘shot in the neck’ at ‘close range,’ the court was told. Resident Joyce Lennon, who was out mopping her porch, witnessed what she described as a ‘merciless execution,’ Mr Unsworth said.
She described ‘Liam Watson’s arm held out, his gun aimed at Miguel Reynolds’ and said ‘he shot at him from very close range,’ the court heard.
“The bullet entered his chest, perforated vital organs and passed through his abdomen and was later found within the abdominal wall,” the prosecutor told the jury.
Despite the best efforts of staff at Aintree hospital, Mr Reynolds was later pronounced dead.
Following the incident, the six men met at a property belonging to a friend of Mr Sanders, the jury heard.
Liam Watson, 32, of Litherland Park, Litherland; Kyle Sanders, 22, of Charles Best Green, Netherton; Joseph McKeever, 29, of Howard Florey Avenue, Litherland; Paul Blackhurst, 27, of Cumpsty Road, Litherland; James Harrison, 23, of Kirkstone Road North, Litherland; Jake Mawhinney 21, of Royton Road, Waterloo; and Dale Avery, 26, of Marie Curie Avenue, Netherton, all deny murder. They also deny conspiracy to rob; conspiracy to possess firearms; and conspiracy to possess ammunition.
Emma Kirby, 23, of Marie Curie Avenue, denies assisting an offender.