'You will hear him being murdered,' jury told (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Gunshots shatter the silence in Hale village

12:20pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Barbara Jordan

CHILLING sounds of gunshots which killed a Widnes dad were captured on a secret camera he hid to spy on the man accused of his murder, a jury at Chester Crown Court has heard.

Dad-of-three Wayne Basnett, aged 30, of Mayfield Avenue, was shot in the head in Pepper Street, Hale Village, shortly after midnight on December 22, 2010.

The shooting happened minutes after he had installed a security camera aimed at the family home of Michael Eves, the man accused of his murder.

Ian Unsworth, QC, prosecuting, told the jury of seven women and five men: “You are going to hear him being murdered.

“It is a cruel and sad irony that the surveillance camera set up by Wayne Basnett actually captured the audio recording of his death.

“The village of Hale is asleep. The silence was shattered. You will hear three gunshots. One of those caused a bullet to penetrate to skull of Wayne Basnett.

“He was shot through the head at close range.

“It was a cold blooded ruthless execution.

“There is compelling evidence that Michael Eves was there. Evidence can’t be sure he pulled the trigger, but he was there and he was party to the murder.”

Eves, aged 25, of Edenhall Drive, Halewood, Liverpool denies murder.

He is also charged with the attempted murder of David Garrett, unlawfully and maliciously wounding Liverpool FC player James Ellinson, and assaulting Mr Basnett’s girlfriend, Kimberley McMahon, the mother of one of his children.

He denies all the charges.

The trial is expected to last for six weeks.