Murder accused tells jury he dealt with business calls to restore 'normality'
A man accused of murder dealt with business-related calls on the day two men were shot in a Range Rover, to help re-establish some "normality", a trial heard.
Jonathan Houseman told jurors he was trying act normal and not show "any emotions" to his family about what he had witnessed on September 30 last year.
The defendant previously told Birmingham Crown Court how he managed to escape after a mysterious man had murdered Will Henry, 31, and Brian McIntosh, 29.
The 33-year-old, who denies murder, told jurors he had received "multiple calls" the same day and exchanged texts with co-accused Richard Avery.
Houseman said the texts and calls with Avery, of no fixed address, were in relation to a car and not to the shooting on the Albion Works industrial estate.
Birmingham Crown Court heard how Houseman made a call to Dean Wilson, who owned the industrial estate, at around 1.40pm, to inform him of what happened and "see what he thought I should do", but the call only lasted 13 seconds after the site owner "made it clear" he was with people and was in a meeting.
Seven minutes later Houseman received a call off someone for 17 seconds, with the defendant, when questioned by his defence barrister Mr Paul Lewis QC over who it was, saying he wasn't sure due to having had "multiple calls" on the day, and believed it was a business-related call.
Houseman, of no fixed address but formerly of Quarry Park Road, Stourbridge, when asked why he was making business calls after what he had witnessed, said he was "trying to bring some normality back to my feelings".
The defendant had exchanged text messages with Avery and said the only thing the two would text about is "cars, there's no other reason" and explained he didn't tell Avery what he witnessed at the industrial site.
He told the court: "Richard has nothing to do with that work – I've got no reason to tell Richard at all."
Houseman denies murder. Avery, 33, of no fixed address, denies murder and perverting the course of justice. Avery's partner Francesca Scott, 33, of Lower Valley Road, Brierley Hill, denies perverting the course of justice.
The trial continues.
