Woman saw suspect with bag, court told
A woman who picked out one of four men accused of murdering a Midland sub-postmaster's son in a photograph line-up has given evidence in court.
A woman who picked out one of four men accused of murdering a Midland sub-postmaster's son in a photograph line-up has given evidence in court.
Wendy Parker said she saw a man who she later identified as defendant Anselm Ribera walking through a field with two other men at around 9am on January 9.
Craig Hodson-Walker was shot in the chest during an armed raid at his family's post office and stores at Fairfield, near Stourbridge, at 8.20am the same day. Mrs Parker said the men were walking in single file in a field near Slade Lane, Shirley, Solihull.
She later identified the first man as Ribera from photographs shown by police.
He carrying a black sports bag while the others had black bin bags, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Mrs Parker told the jury the men looked like they were looking for somewhere to "drop the rubbish".
Ribera, Adrian Snape, Christopher Morrissey, and his brother Declan deny murder. They also deny the attempted murder of Craig's father Ken Hodson-Walker, who was shot in the leg.
Ribera, of Topfield House, Druids Heath, Birmingham; Snape, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham; Christopher Morrissey, of Elmay Road, Sheldon, Birmingham; and his brother Declan, of Shirley Park Road, Solihull, also deny possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Mrs Parker told the court the group of men split up, with the first man continuing along the path and the others walking to a white car parked by some nearby derelict garages.
"They seemed to be as surprised to see me as I was to see them," she told the court. She added: "They looked like they were heading somewhere to dump the rubbish."
Mrs Parker told the court she decided to follow the first man and that she became aware of the car driving along the road to meet him.
The prosecution claims clothing and shoes worn by the raiders were found burned near Slade Laney.
Witness Christopher Tomlinson told the court he had come across two men who had started a fire in woodland at around 9.40am on January 9 but was unable to describe them.
The trial continues.
