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| Brookside actor drove getaway car for killer, court told | Brookside actor drove getaway car for killer, court told |
| (12 days later) | |
| A former Brookside actor has gone on trial for murder after he allegedly drove a getaway car when a man was shot dead outside a pub in Liverpool earlier this year. | A former Brookside actor has gone on trial for murder after he allegedly drove a getaway car when a man was shot dead outside a pub in Liverpool earlier this year. |
| Brian Regan, 53, who played Terry Sullivan in the Channel 4 soap, denies murder. His co-defendants, Edward Heffey, 40, Lee Dodson, 42, and Simon Smart, 32, all of Liverpool, also deny murdering doorman Bahman Faraji, 44, who was shot in the face at close range and died at the scene. | Brian Regan, 53, who played Terry Sullivan in the Channel 4 soap, denies murder. His co-defendants, Edward Heffey, 40, Lee Dodson, 42, and Simon Smart, 32, all of Liverpool, also deny murdering doorman Bahman Faraji, 44, who was shot in the face at close range and died at the scene. |
| Regan's girlfriend, Christine Line, denies a charge of perverting the course of justice after allegedly providing him with a false alibi. | Regan's girlfriend, Christine Line, denies a charge of perverting the course of justice after allegedly providing him with a false alibi. |
| Regan also denies a charge of perverting the course of justice after he allegedly attempted to dispose of a pair of gloves. | Regan also denies a charge of perverting the course of justice after he allegedly attempted to dispose of a pair of gloves. |
| Brian Cummings QC, prosecuting, told Liverpool crown court: "The prosecution allege that Edward Heffey was the gunman who actually shot the victim, and that Brian Regan, by agreement with Lee Dodson, drove Heffey to and from the scene of the shooting, fully aware of the purpose of Mr Heffey's trip." | Brian Cummings QC, prosecuting, told Liverpool crown court: "The prosecution allege that Edward Heffey was the gunman who actually shot the victim, and that Brian Regan, by agreement with Lee Dodson, drove Heffey to and from the scene of the shooting, fully aware of the purpose of Mr Heffey's trip." |
| He said Simon Smart "orchestrated the murder from a safe distance, making telephone calls to the victim and to Heffey to ensure the victim was in the right place at the right time". | He said Simon Smart "orchestrated the murder from a safe distance, making telephone calls to the victim and to Heffey to ensure the victim was in the right place at the right time". |
| The jury heard that on the evening of 24 February Faraji went to the Belgrave pub in Aigburth with two other men after receiving a phone call. A short while later, a man approached him. | The jury heard that on the evening of 24 February Faraji went to the Belgrave pub in Aigburth with two other men after receiving a phone call. A short while later, a man approached him. |
| "The man raised what appeared to be a shortened double-barrelled shotgun and fired it directly into Faraji's face," Cummings said. "There was a cloud of smoke and Faraji fell to the ground. The gunman left the scene on foot, and witnesses saw him carrying a gun under his arm. The prosecution allege that he then got into a waiting vehicle – that vehicle was driven by Brian Regan." | "The man raised what appeared to be a shortened double-barrelled shotgun and fired it directly into Faraji's face," Cummings said. "There was a cloud of smoke and Faraji fell to the ground. The gunman left the scene on foot, and witnesses saw him carrying a gun under his arm. The prosecution allege that he then got into a waiting vehicle – that vehicle was driven by Brian Regan." |
| Medics and police attended but it was clear nothing could be done for Faraji. His mobile phone was found on the pavement near to his body and taken for police examination. | Medics and police attended but it was clear nothing could be done for Faraji. His mobile phone was found on the pavement near to his body and taken for police examination. |
| A postmortem concluded the cause of death was a shotgun wound to the head and the pathologist said the shot had been fired from 3ft to 4ft (one metre to 1.2 metres) away. | A postmortem concluded the cause of death was a shotgun wound to the head and the pathologist said the shot had been fired from 3ft to 4ft (one metre to 1.2 metres) away. |
| Regan and Line were stopped by police in a Ford Escort the following day in Liverpool city centre. Regan told officers he had not been in the area where the murder took place. The couple were arrested as police became suspicious of their differing accounts, the court heard. | Regan and Line were stopped by police in a Ford Escort the following day in Liverpool city centre. Regan told officers he had not been in the area where the murder took place. The couple were arrested as police became suspicious of their differing accounts, the court heard. |
| "On the way to the police station, Regan said: 'I done nothing wrong and I didn't do anything willingly,'" Cummings said. "After arriving at the police station, and before any interview, he made further comments to the effect that he was not involved and did not know what had happened until after the event. He also said: 'I wanna help you but I'll be shot.'" | "On the way to the police station, Regan said: 'I done nothing wrong and I didn't do anything willingly,'" Cummings said. "After arriving at the police station, and before any interview, he made further comments to the effect that he was not involved and did not know what had happened until after the event. He also said: 'I wanna help you but I'll be shot.'" |
| The court heard that Line had admitted she had lied in her witness statement and said Regan had asked her to say she was with him in the car on the night of the murder. | The court heard that Line had admitted she had lied in her witness statement and said Regan had asked her to say she was with him in the car on the night of the murder. |
| When asked if she had done anything else aside from the false witness statement, she said Regan had asked her to dispose of a pair of gloves. | When asked if she had done anything else aside from the false witness statement, she said Regan had asked her to dispose of a pair of gloves. |
| When Dodson was arrested he told officers: "Is this about the murder? I was in my girl's kitchen." | When Dodson was arrested he told officers: "Is this about the murder? I was in my girl's kitchen." |
| He claimed that shortly after the murder he had lost his phone on Allerton golf course. | He claimed that shortly after the murder he had lost his phone on Allerton golf course. |
| He said he had never asked Regan to pick anyone up "and that Regan must be lying if that was what he was saying". Cummings said he had insisted he had nothing to do with the murder, the court heard. | He said he had never asked Regan to pick anyone up "and that Regan must be lying if that was what he was saying". Cummings said he had insisted he had nothing to do with the murder, the court heard. |
| Heffey was arrested and said he had read something in the paper about the shooting but otherwise knew "absolutely nothing" about it. He had never been to the Belgrave pub, he added. Heffey denied being a passenger in the vehicle and said he was not the gunman. | Heffey was arrested and said he had read something in the paper about the shooting but otherwise knew "absolutely nothing" about it. He had never been to the Belgrave pub, he added. Heffey denied being a passenger in the vehicle and said he was not the gunman. |
| The court was told Simon Smart issued two prepared statements during a police interview. He accepted one of the phones he was alleged to have used was his and that he had known Heffey for 12 years and would often be able to give him a reliable contact number to purchase drugs. He denied any involvement in murder. | The court was told Simon Smart issued two prepared statements during a police interview. He accepted one of the phones he was alleged to have used was his and that he had known Heffey for 12 years and would often be able to give him a reliable contact number to purchase drugs. He denied any involvement in murder. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |