Masked gunman was recognised at Stourbridge shooting scene, murder trial told
A man accused of being the masked gunman who shot dead a customer over a £175 drug debt was recognised at the scene, a court was told.
John Jones, 36, also known as one of the ‘Gummy Twins’, was shot dead in his bedroom at his family's home, in Caslon Crescent, in Norton, Stourbridge, at around 7.40pm on February 25 last year.
On Monday, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told that as the violence unfolded his younger brother Sebastian Jones, 26, was set upon by a group of males and suffered stab wounds to his neck and lower back resulting in a punctured lung. The jury was told that despite his injuries Sebastian Jones survived the attack.
Alleged gunman Ravi Talware, co-defendants Kevin Waldron, Scott Garrington, along with three youths, are standing trial, jointly accused of taking part in the attacks.
Prosecuting barrister Mr Mark Heywood KC told the jury that the brothers, their father David and a friend Justin Foxall were at the property when a man wearing a mask and dark clothing entered. He made his way upstairs to John Jones' bedroom.
Mr Heywood said Mr Foxall described going upstairs to chat with David Jones in another bedroom across the landing from John Jones' room when he saw the man coming upstairs with a gun in his hand.
"At first he thought it was a wind up", Mr Heywood said.
He said the gunman was then heard to say, "Hey Gummy you are taking the ****."
Mr Heywood said John Jones was described as putting his hand up when the man appeared and then heard replying: "It's not really about that."
He told the court: "From the voice and appearance Justin Foxall recognised that the gunman was Ravi Talware. Talware lifted the gun, took aim at John Jones and fired. He immediately lowered the gun and left the room returning downstairs."
The prosecution's case is that the man who used a single-barrelled shotgun to fired the fatal shot was the accused Ravi Talware, from Wolverhampton.
Talware, 32, of Cavalier Circus, in Bushbury; Waldron, 41 and Garrington, 51, both of Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston, near Stourbridge, are also charged with doing an act to pervert the course of justice relating to the disposal of a Renault.
All six accused deny murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, wounding, possessing the firearms. Talware, Waldron and Garrington deny perverting the course of justice. Two of the youths admit knife possession while a third youth and the others deny that charge.
The trial continues.
