Carl Campbell trial: Murder victim ‘stole £5k watch’
A father killed in a daylight drive-by shooting had allegedly stolen a £5,000 watch belonging to the killer, a court heard.
Carl Campbell had been identified as the man responsible for taking the Cartier watch from Vikesh Chauhan, a friend of its owner Mohammed Humza, Birmingham Crown Court was told.
Mr Campbell was killed while sat in a Ford Fiesta as it waited at traffic lights in West Bromwich town centre.
Five shots were fired by Humza from an Audi Q5 after it pulled up alongside the Fiesta in Dartmouth Street on December 27 last year.
Humza, 20, has admitted killing Mr Campbell. Chauhan, 24, and Jaspal Rai, 25, who were also in the Audi, deny murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Giving evidence, Chauhan said he had been ordered by Humza to follow the Fiesta and pull up next to it but claimed he had no idea his friend in the back seat had a gun. He also insisted he was not aware of any plan to get revenge over the watch.
Chauhan said: “I told him (Humza) I had it on me, it had been stolen from me, so I would give the money back or replace it with a new one.”
Mr Henry Blacksmith, defending Chauhan, asked: “Was there any suggestion you were going to seek out Carl Campbell and take revenge?” Chauhan replied: “No.”
Chauhan, of Roebuck Lane, West Bromwich, told the jury how he had been sitting in his car following a cannabis deal on December 10 when a man approached him and snatched the expensive watch from his wrist. He said he was later told by Humza the man was Mr Campbell.
