after he planted drugs on a rival family, a jury h

after he planted drugs on a rival family, a jury heard today.

(tue)

Clouden, of Hartwell Drive, Kempston, Bedford, denies murdering Warren St Patrick Wilson, on August 17, 1997.

The Old Bailey was told that Mr Wilson was based in East Ham, in east London, but he had several addresses in Bedford.

Mr Sells said: ‘He drove a Ford Escort and went to raves.

He was a drug dealer and he was a police informant.

‘He was known to everybody as ‘Lucky’ but perhaps if if he had had the opportunity he would have chosen another name.

‘At 2.

15am on August 17, 1997 he was shot four times at pointblank range sitting at the wheel of his car, parked half on the pavement and half on the road, in a street in Bedford.

‘He was, the Crown say, a victim of a premeditated contract killing.

‘

The QC said Mr Wilson had fallen out with the Crearers who may have been involved in drugs.

‘There was a suggestion that one of Mr Wilson’s girlfriends was seeing one of the family and in any event the feud began between him and this family.

‘

The court heard that ‘one of the things Lucky did’ was to plant drugs on the Crearers and tip off police who then launched a raid on the family.

During that break-in Mr Wilson grabbed jewellery which Clouden had left as security on a debt he had with the family.

Mr Wilson was also said to have broken into one of their houses and ‘trashed’ it.

He also poured acid over a jeep belonging to a girlfriend of one of the Crearers.

On the night of the shooting the defendant was seen with a gun.

He told people what he had in mind and was probably high on drugs when he committed the murder.

Although in the early hours of the morning the street where the shooting was carried out, Alexander Road, was busy with pubs and clubs were still open.

‘Mr Wilson was shot in the car and the killer threw away the gun, which was wrapped in a towel and which belonged to Clouden’s girlfriend,’ added the QC.

A street cleaner later found the weapon, still wrapped in the towel, in a flowerbed.

ends