Man gunned down in Wakefield home was attempting to steal cannabis grow, Leeds Crown Court hears
Connor Batty died from a single gunshot wound, Leeds Crown Court heard
A man gunned down at a home in Wakefield was attempting to steal a cannabis grow, a jury at Leeds Crown Court has been told.
Connor Batty died from a single gunshot wound to the chest during a disturbance at the property of Adrian Frost on Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, on the evening of September 11 last year.
Frost, 61, stands accused of murdering the 26-year-old with an unlicensed sewn-off shotgun - he denies the charges against him and argues lawful self defence.
Opening the case at Leeds Crown Court today, lead prosecutor Tom Storey KC told the jury how Mr Batty was shot by Frost who was perched on the stars when he entered the property.
The court heard Mr Batty was initially scared off by Frost’s two Rottweiler dogs but returned moments later.
Frost then phoned 999 and told them what had happened, but claimed he didn’t know why his property was targeted.
He attempted to perform CPR at the behest of the 999 call handler until emergency services arrived. Batty was pronounced dead a short time later and Frost was arrested.
A search of his home by police uncovered an arsenal of weapons including three air rifles, baseball bats, large knives and two machetes, one kept by the backdoor and another by his bed.
They also uncovered evidence of significant cannabis growth in three of the property’s four bedrooms, the court heard.
WhatsApp messages showed Frost had sent pictures of Batty’s body in his yard to his brother and friends. Messages were also uncovered relating to the selling of cannabis.
The court was told how in police interviews the 61-year-old maintained that he had only intended to scare off the intruder but slipped coming down the stairs in his slippers, causing the gun to go off, and thought he was going to be killed.
Frost denied selling cannabis and told police that the grow was just for him - and that he used it to aid back pain, the court heard. He is defended by Sam Green KC and Michael Morley.
Concluding the Crown’s opening, Mr Storey told the jury that what Frost did was “way beyond reasonable force.”
He said that pathology reports indicated that the gun had been shot from a balanced, elevated position and that “more powerful” pellets had been used.
The trial continues and could last up to two weeks.