A teenager accused of helping to murder Ben Purdy claimed this week he had been taken on a mystery ride.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named, said when he got in the car with three others he had no idea they were speeding off to kill the 18-year-old trainee plumber.
He said: “As I left the car I heard a very loud bang. It was loud and very threatening and it made me jump. All I wanted to do was get back to my nan’s house.”
Michael Bagnall, 22, organised the revenge attack when Ben started dating his ex-girlfriend, it is said.
Bagnall allegedly recruited his uncle, Andrew Bayne, 37, his cousin Reece Bayne, 19, and the 17-year-old to track down Ben and his friends.
The 17-year-old said he had been playing video games with Bagnall and Reece Bayne when he was told there had been an incident at his grandmother’s house.
The three of them ran to the address. He saw Bagnall hand a baseball bat to Bayne but said he did not know what it was for.
As they ran off again a Ford Focus pulled up driven by Reece Bayne’s uncle, Andrew Bayne, and they all got in, with Celine Dion blaring from the stereo.
Asked where he thought they were going the teenager said: “I’m not entirely sure.”
He said: “Once I got into the car I thought maybe we were going to go back to my nans’. Once I realised we were going a different way I didn’t want to be there.
“The car stopped. As it was still stopping, Mikey jumped out and Reece jumped out. I slid along to Reece’s side and jumped out as well. I did not see a gun. I got out the car and ran off. That was when I heard the bang.”
He said he ran back to his grandmother’s house and did not find out what had gone on until the following day when he saw a report of the incident on his Facebook page.
Andrew Bayne is said to have shot Ben in the head and threatened to gun down one of his friends in Mossington Gardens, Bermondsey on 23 November last year.
Bagnall and Andrew Bayne, of Alpine Road, Rotherhithe, Reece Bayne, of Concorde Way, also in Rotherhithe, and the 17-year-old, all deny murder.
Michael Bagnall, his sister Lee-Ann Bagnall, 19, and Anthony Bayne, 34, both also of Alpine Road, Rotherhithe, all deny affray.
Michael Bagnall, Reece Bayne, and the 17-year-old all deny conspiracy to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Andrew Bayne denies possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The trial continues….