US citizen Aimee Betro pleads not guilty to conspiracy to murder West Midlands shop owner
A US citizen has denied plotting to murder a Birmingham shop owner and members of his family, and also pleaded not guilty to possessing a self-loading pistol.
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Aimee Betro, originally from Wisconsin, is alleged to have been involved in a conspiracy which saw a man threatened with a firearm in the South Yardley area of Birmingham in September 2019.
The 45-year-old, appearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday by video-link to HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire, spoke only to enter three not guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy to murder, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge related to the alleged importation of ammunition into the UK.
The charges include an allegation that Betro conspired with Mohammed Nazir and Mohammed Aslam to murder Aslat Mahumad and members of his family between August 21 and September 10, 2019.
The firearms offence is alleged to have been committed on September 8 2019, while the ammunition smuggling charge relates to a period between September 12 and October 23, 2019.
Betro, wearing glasses and a striped casual long-sleeved top, appeared sitting behind a desk in a prison video booth during the 12-minute hearing, and was remanded to a pre-trial review hearing on April 3.
Adjourning the case, Judge Andrew Smith KC told Betro: “As you have heard your trial will begin on the 21st of July of this year.
“I have made a number of directions to ensure that your trial will start as planned. Further directions will be given at a pre-trial hearing.
“Between now and the third of April you will be remanded in custody.”
