Men "executed at point blank range" court told (From Southend Standard)

Men "executed at point blank range" court told

1:28pm Thursday 14th June 2012 in Echo News By Jon Austin

TWO men executed by shotgun at point blank range on a traveller site had gone there from Basildon to set fire to caravans, a court was told.

Christopher Line, 29, who grew up in Basildon, denies murdering Shane Hill, 21, from Stromness Road, Southend, and David Castell, 29, of no-fixed-abode from Southend.

Ipswich Crown Court heard today that Line and “friend and business partner” “Sam Vinden, 39, were living on a pitch at Willow Park Caravan park, in Beck Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk, where the murders happened on March 15 at around 10pm last year.

Karim Khail, prosecuting, said Line and Mr Vinden were involved in a long-running dispute wth other people and there had been an attempt to set fire to one of their caravans three days earlier.

Mr Kahil said Line must have lain in wait on the night of the killings while Mr Hill used petrol in a can to torch two caravans on the pitch.

Mr Hill was shot six times, including in the head and buttocks at point blank range.

Mr Castell was then shot four times in a “getaway” car parked just outside the site, before being set on fire, the court was told.

Line stayed on the caravan pitch for 50 minutes, repeatedly calling Mr Vinden’s mobile phone from a landline, before leaving the area, the court heard.

He handed himself in at Basildon police station three days later, but made no comment in interview, Mr Kahil said.

The trial continues.

See Friday's Echo for a special report.