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| Michael Anton O'Connor: Stab victim ambushed by hired hit men, court hears | Michael Anton O'Connor: Stab victim ambushed by hired hit men, court hears |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| Michael Anton O'Connor died after being taken to hospital with a stab wound | Michael Anton O'Connor died after being taken to hospital with a stab wound |
| A man was stabbed to death in a "brutal, pre-planned ambush" by "hired hit men" over a row between rival drug gangs, a court heard. | A man was stabbed to death in a "brutal, pre-planned ambush" by "hired hit men" over a row between rival drug gangs, a court heard. |
| Michael Anton O'Connor was killed in The Meadows estate in Nottingham on 10 November 2021. | Michael Anton O'Connor was killed in The Meadows estate in Nottingham on 10 November 2021. |
| Eight men and three woman have denied the 31-year-old's murder at Nottingham Crown Court. | Eight men and three woman have denied the 31-year-old's murder at Nottingham Crown Court. |
| A number of the defendants had travelled as "hired muscle" from Manchester, the jury was told. | A number of the defendants had travelled as "hired muscle" from Manchester, the jury was told. |
| 'Peacemaker' | 'Peacemaker' |
| The court heard Mr O'Connor, from Mapperley Park, Nottingham, was "not the main target" or in a gang but had been sent to the meeting at the last minute as a potential "peace-maker" or to "broker a deal". | The court heard Mr O'Connor, from Mapperley Park, Nottingham, was "not the main target" or in a gang but had been sent to the meeting at the last minute as a potential "peace-maker" or to "broker a deal". |
| He suffered a single stab wound to the heart in Wilford Crescent West shortly before 22:30 GMT and died in hospital. | He suffered a single stab wound to the heart in Wilford Crescent West shortly before 22:30 GMT and died in hospital. |
| Opening the prosecution, Adrian Langdale KC said Michael Mingoes - who travelled in the Manchester party - stabbed Mr O'Connor but others played a "significant and important role" in the murder. | Opening the prosecution, Adrian Langdale KC said Michael Mingoes - who travelled in the Manchester party - stabbed Mr O'Connor but others played a "significant and important role" in the murder. |
| The 11 defendants charged with murder are: | The 11 defendants charged with murder are: |
| Leonard Ward, 41, of Marwood Road, Carlton | Leonard Ward, 41, of Marwood Road, Carlton |
| Benjamin Taylor, 37, of Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester | Benjamin Taylor, 37, of Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester |
| Joseph Boscombe, 39, of Rostherne Avenue, Manchester | Joseph Boscombe, 39, of Rostherne Avenue, Manchester |
| Joshua Agboola, 28, of Leven Grove, Darwen, Blackburn | Joshua Agboola, 28, of Leven Grove, Darwen, Blackburn |
| Michael Mingoes, 19, of Powell Street, Manchester | Michael Mingoes, 19, of Powell Street, Manchester |
| Rebecca Bell, 36, of Loughrigg Close, The Meadows | Rebecca Bell, 36, of Loughrigg Close, The Meadows |
| Paula Usherwood, 37, of Central Avenue, Beeston | Paula Usherwood, 37, of Central Avenue, Beeston |
| Jerome Sheard, 29, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows | |
| Carla McGuire, 51, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows | Carla McGuire, 51, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows |
| Michael McGuire, 34, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows | |
| Curtis Sheard, 23, of Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows | |
| Kerry-Anne Shepherd, 34, of Plantagenet Street, St Ann's, denies a charge of assisting an offender while Gemma Fearon, 37, of Dean Bank Close, Macclesfield, denies a charge of encouraging/assisting in the commission of one or more offences. | Kerry-Anne Shepherd, 34, of Plantagenet Street, St Ann's, denies a charge of assisting an offender while Gemma Fearon, 37, of Dean Bank Close, Macclesfield, denies a charge of encouraging/assisting in the commission of one or more offences. |
| Police at the scene of Willow Crescent West in The Meadows the day after Mr O'Connor's death | Police at the scene of Willow Crescent West in The Meadows the day after Mr O'Connor's death |
| Mr Langdale KC said the murder was the culmination of a "drugs war between two rival organised crime groups" over supply to The Meadows estate. | Mr Langdale KC said the murder was the culmination of a "drugs war between two rival organised crime groups" over supply to The Meadows estate. |
| "This was a brutal, pre-planned ambush and attack which in turn led to the murder of Michael Anton O'Connor," he said. | "This was a brutal, pre-planned ambush and attack which in turn led to the murder of Michael Anton O'Connor," he said. |
| Mr Langdale KC said Leonard Ward and his "right-hand man" Jerome Sheard organised with Benjamin Taylor - their "upstream supplier" of drugs from Manchester - to send a team of dealers to Nottingham to act as the "hired muscle and hit team". | Mr Langdale KC said Leonard Ward and his "right-hand man" Jerome Sheard organised with Benjamin Taylor - their "upstream supplier" of drugs from Manchester - to send a team of dealers to Nottingham to act as the "hired muscle and hit team". |
| The prosecution allege the Manchester "hit team" consisted of Michael Mingoes, Joshua Agboola and Joseph Boscombe. | The prosecution allege the Manchester "hit team" consisted of Michael Mingoes, Joshua Agboola and Joseph Boscombe. |
| Gemma Fearon is accused of driving them from Manchester to Nottingham. | Gemma Fearon is accused of driving them from Manchester to Nottingham. |
| 'Ambush' | 'Ambush' |
| The court heard on the morning of the murder, defendants Paula Usherwood and Rebecca Bell met their "main target" whose gang had been "attacking the Sheard/Ward operation continuously" for weeks at a pub in The Meadows. | The court heard on the morning of the murder, defendants Paula Usherwood and Rebecca Bell met their "main target" whose gang had been "attacking the Sheard/Ward operation continuously" for weeks at a pub in The Meadows. |
| The prosecution said this was to "set him up" for an ambush at a further meeting that evening. | The prosecution said this was to "set him up" for an ambush at a further meeting that evening. |
| "But fate unfortunately would play a massive part," Mr Langdale KC said. | "But fate unfortunately would play a massive part," Mr Langdale KC said. |
| "At the last minute, Anton was asked to go [to the later meeting] on his behalf - seemingly to reason with them in the escalating war." | "At the last minute, Anton was asked to go [to the later meeting] on his behalf - seemingly to reason with them in the escalating war." |
| The prosecution said he was "unarmed and unaware" he was heading "straight into a trap" by a group wearing balaclavas, armed with a sword and a knife. | The prosecution said he was "unarmed and unaware" he was heading "straight into a trap" by a group wearing balaclavas, armed with a sword and a knife. |
| Mr Langdale KC added Mr O'Connor "hardly features at all" in calls and messages police retrieved as evidence and it appeared he was not a member of the rival gang or part of the ongoing feud. | Mr Langdale KC added Mr O'Connor "hardly features at all" in calls and messages police retrieved as evidence and it appeared he was not a member of the rival gang or part of the ongoing feud. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. |