21/12/95 - STATEMENT of PETER ANTHONY DEFREITAS

NAME: PETER ANTHONY DEFREITAS
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 36 27101959

Who states:- This statement consisting of 003 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

DATED: 211295
P A DEFREITAS (SIGNED)

I am a Professional Boxing Manager licensed by The British Boxing Board of Control, a position I have held for about 4 years. One of my eleven fighters I run is Nigel BENN who I have managed for 5 years since 000090. Whilst managing Nigel he employed two friends of his to walk with him as he walked to the ring before a fight.

These friends were Carlton LEECH and Tony TUCKER. Carlton LEECH I already knew as a friend whom I had grown up with over the last 18 years. Tony TUCKER I had not previously met or known and I recall the first time I met him was when I went to a 'Weider Shop' in Ilford that Tony ran to collect vitamins etc for Nigel BENN.

Since then I saw Tony and Carlton together on several occasions when they came to Nigel's fights to walk him into the ring. I only ever saw Tony at the fights of Nigel's. However some time in 000600 or 000700 of 000095 whilst with Nigel in Tenerife at my training camp Nigel asked if two of his friends could stay at the camp I agreed and later saw these two were Tony and Carlton.

The last time I saw Tony was at a fight with Nigel against Danny Ray PEREZ at Wembley Arena in 000900 this year and again Carlton was with him. Since then I have not seen Carlton or Tony until I received a telephone call to my mobile phone from a female who did not give her name but said she was from the British Boxing Board of Control.

She asked about Tony TUCKER, asking for his home address and then his telephone number, I didn't have this information so I didn't give it, I never spoke to her any more. I would describe this female as English and around 30 years old.

I later received a call from Kevin who runs and owns Top Guard Security who stated he had the same female ringing him. Since then I only heard from Tony as a matter of two phone calls from him asking if he could come and train with Nigel BENN.

I first heard of the murders in Essex when I received a phone call about 1030 hours in the morning of 071295 from a Mike WALTERS of the Today newspaper who told me Tony and two other men had been shot in Essex. He continued to ask if Nigel would have a statement and also told me that there was possibly a fourth person in the forest.

He also told me they had been shot in the head. I later received two further calls from him and the last one, sometime in the evening, he asked if he could send a photo of Tony to me to identify. This I did not do. Although I am not certain I think on the night of Wednesday 061295 I was at home where I stayed in doors all night watching television.

P A DEFREITAS SIGNED
STATEMENT TAKEN PLACE:
TIME:
DATE: 211295
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE:
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: PC537 CHAPPLE