Alleged gunman tells jury he was at home

An alleged gunman accused of shooting dead a father outside the Wolverhampton bar he owned has told a jury he was at home at the time of the killing.

Sukwinder Singh Sanghera, aged 24, is accused of being the masked attacker who gunned down Swinder Singh Batth following a row over a laser pointer being shone into a car, a court heard.

Sanghera was arrested at the Wickes DIY store in Perry Barr, where he worked, shortly after the killing of 47-year-old Mr Batth, outside Gavin's Sports Bar in Bilston.

Sanghera is alleged to have been "recruited" to get revenge after murder accused Jasbir Takhar took offence that a green laser pen was shone from a Fiat Punto near to the bar into the car he was in with his girlfriend shortly before the shooting.

The five-week trial has heard how police found a black cloth in the shape of a hood at Sandhera's home.

Co-accused Narinder Kumar told police Sanghera was the gunman in the attack at around midnight on July 28 last year, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

But Sanghera told the jury yesterday: "I haven't shot him. I didn't commit no murder.

"I've been sitting here for the last five weeks and everything's just felt like it's been getting worse and I haven't done it."

He denied a phone call he received after the shooting was a call to ensure he had made it home and said he had been at home all along.

On trial are Gurpreet Singh Ottalan, aged 22, of Western Drive, Bilston; Onkar Singh Sangha, 22 of Babors Field, Bilston; Narinder Kumar, 26, of Slade Close, West Bromwich;

Neesha Dubb, 20, of Western Drive, Bilston; Jarnail Singh Bajwa, 25, of Bickley Road, Bilston; and Sukwinder Singh Sanghera, 24, of Albion Road, West Bromwich. They all deny conspiracy to commit violent disorder. Initially, all of those were charged with murder but that allegation was dropped against all but Sanghera.

Jasbir Singh Takhar, 23, of Birmingham New Road, Coseley, is still charged with murder. He has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

Accused of witness intimidation are Amardeep Narwal, 25, Sedgley Grove, Birmingham, and Shiv Dubb, 18, of Western Drive.

The trial continues.