John Anslow phone change link to Richard Deakin murder plot, claim
The murder of a Staffordshire man in his own home was carefully planned, prosecutors allege, with Tipton man John Anslow accused of organising it – and changing his phone to avoid detection.
Richard Deakin was killed while he lay in bed almost four years ago.
The 27-year-old Walsall skip hire boss was shot in the chest with a sawn-off shotgun, just minutes after his partner Megan left their Chasetown home with their two children.
Gunman David Harrison and getaway driver Darryl Dickens have already been convicted of his murder, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court were told.
And 33-year-old Anslow is accused of organising the killing. Prosecutors allege that he was one of the first people Harrison spoke to after the murder, on July 5, 2010.
And it is claimed that both Anslow and Harrison changed their phones either on the day of the murder or the day after.
Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Harrison entering the garden of Mr Deakin's house. Just seconds later he is shown leaving the property, having shot Mr Deakin, before fleeing in a black Corsa driven by Dickens.
It is also alleged that when men involved in stealing the car or changing its number plates were arrested, Anslow again changed his phone. This was done to hide a link to those arrested, prosecutors allege. The getaway car was stolen in Tipton, prosecutors said, and Anslow was allegedly in contact with those involved in the days leading up to the murder.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Burrows QC told jurors that a phone they believe belonged to Harrison was used to call Anslow at 9.36am on July 5, just over an hour after Mr Deakin was killed.
The prosecution say that whatever Harrison had done also related to Anslow.
They do not allege that Anslow was present at the scene, but that his involvement in the murder is proved by the phone contact he had with gunman Harrison on each day he visited the scene and on the day he killed Mr Deakin.
The trial heard evidence from mobile phone cell site expert Gregory Robinson, who outlined how phones belonging to Anslow and Harrison were in contact on days where Harrison went on alleged reconnaissance trips to the murder scene on June 4, 8 and 18.
However Mr Michael Bromley-Martin QC, defending Anslow, said: "It's perfectly plain that it is a common occurrence for the Harrison phone to phone the Anslow phone and vice versa – it's happening nearly every single day."
The trial continues.
