03/10/06 - Murder victim ‘was blackmailed’
By David Giles
This is Essex

A police informant who was shot and killed at an allotment site told friends he had been blackmailed into dealing drugs, a court was told.

Dean Boshell, 24, was shot at point-blank range at the Manchester Drive allotments in Leigh, in February 2001.

Friend Ricky Percival, 27, of Cricketfield Grove, Leigh, is now on trial for his murder at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Katy Griffiths, 25, of the Fairway, Leigh, and Kevin Walsh, 34, of Shannon Close, Leigh, are also accused of perverting the course of justice.

All three deny the charges.

In the months running up to his death, the court was told Mr Boshell, who lived in Leigh at the time, but had grown up in Basildon, told friends he was dealing cocaine and had bought two pistols from London.

A statement from Lisa Clarke, who met Mr Boshell in a nightclub in Southend in November 2000, said: "He said he had been in prison and that he had been bullied there. He said the men who had bullied him inside had caught up with him and harassed him into dealing drugs.

"He was dealing them for other people and they were blackmailing him."

While working at a cafe in Southend, Mr Boshell told staff member, Halil Osman, he was interested in guns.

A statement from Mr Osman said: "He said he had bought two guns for £500. He said they were automatic pistols which loaded from the bottom.

"I asked him if he kept the guns at home and he said he didn't. He would bury them or keep them at someone else's house.

"I couldn't make up my mind if he was telling the truth or not."

The court heard Mr Boshell had been a police informant since he was arrested for burglary in 1999.

Linda Lilley, the former licensee of the Woodcutters Arms, Leigh, told the court she knew Percival and he was always well behaved at the pub.

She said: "I never had any problems with Ricky Percival. He was polite, decent and never caused any trouble."

Percival is also charged with 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 indictable offence.

The trial continues.