15/11/06 - Murder claims ‘all lies’ says accused
By Rob Pritchard, Essex Evening Echo
A murder suspect has denied the execution-style shooting of police informant Dean Boshell.
Mr Boshell, 26, of Elmsleigh Drive, Leigh, was killed by a single gunshot to the back of the head at the Manchester Drive allotments, Leigh, in February 2001.
Accused Ricky Percival, 27, has denied a string of claims by former associate Damon Alvin, including the suggestion he offered Mr Alvin £100,000 to stand trial in his place.
He also denied offering former Det Con John Moran cash to pass on information about the murder probe.
He also denies shooting three members of the Tretton family in Locksley Road, Southend, in June 1999.
Instead, Percival, of Cricketfield Grove, Leigh, claimed evidence from prosecution's star witness Mr Alvin had been "all lies".
He told the court he had been at home at the time Boshell was killed.
Answering questions from defence counsel Andrew Bright QC, he told Chelmsford Crown Court: "I didn't kill Dean Boshell. I was not there when someone else shot him."
The jury was told Boshell had been providing police with information about Percival as long as 18 months before his murder.
However, Percival denied having close contact with Boshell before his death, as Mr Alvin had claimed.
The information Boshell had given police had been untrue, he claimed.
He added: "There is not one person on this Earth who can place me and Dean together, except when we bumped into each other in the pub."
Percival denies murder, perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to steal, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, robbery and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an offence.
Katy Griffiths, 25, of the Fairway, Leigh, and Kevin Walsh, 34, of Shannon Close, Leigh, both deny perverting the course of justice.
The trial continues.
