Murder trial hears of drug debt meeting
AN ALLEGED murder victim and one of the men accused of killing him and his two children in a house fire met to sort out a deal over payment of a drug debt run up by his niece, a court was told yesterday.
The High Court in Glasgow heard the late Thomas Sharkey’s niece Lynette Stevens, 32, had run up a £1200 debt to Scott Snowden for cocaine.
Mr Sharkey’s brother Ronald Stevens, 52, told prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that he asked for help after Mr Snowden allegedly made threats.
Mr Stevens was giving evidence at the trial of Mr Snowden, 37, and Robert Jennings, 50, who deny murdering Mr Sharkey, 55, his son, Thomas junior, 21, and eight-year-old daughter Bridget at their home at Scott Court, Helensburgh, Argyll, on July 24, 2011.
He said a deal was struck whereby £500 would be paid as a down payment and then £100 would be paid every fortnight.
Mr Stevens said: “I sold some scrap metal to raise £500.”
He told the court he gave the £500 to Mr Sharkey senior who handed it over.
The trial before Lord Matthews continues.