A JOINER who witnessed the terrifying kidnap attack on alleged murder victim Paul Brady relived the ordeal in court.

David Collier was in his car following Mr Brady along a quiet road after they finished work on a house in Lynns Court, Weir, which had been deliberately damaged.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court has heard that 43-year-old site manager Mr Brady, who was leading a double life as a drug dealer, was bundled into a car and driven off after the violent gang attack and has never been seen since.

Paul Devalda, 35, of Padiham Road, Burnley, denies murdering Mr Brady and an alternative charge of manslaughter. He also denies conspiring to kidnap him.

Mr Collier, who gave evidence behind screens, told the jury that the incident happened on the afternoon of August 1, 2009.

Mr Brady set off in his white van along Beaufort Road and he followed in his mother's Mercedes.

"A goldy, sandy coloured car moved from the right side of the road onto the wrong side and pulled in front of Paul. He slammed on his brakes and started reversing. I was stationary, he hit me causing damage to the bumper and bonnet and the engine cut out. He exited his car and started running past me screaming", said Mr Collier.

He said that unknown to him a vehicle had pulled up behind him and he saw a group of ten to 15 men all dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.

"He ran into the group of people and they started hitting him with all kinds of weapons - bats and metal bars. As I got pulled out of my car I saw someone with a gun. I didn't see it being used, he was just standing there with it, it seemed to be a shotgun.

"Paul was on the floor. He was screaming. He was being hit with the weapons very hard."

Mr Collier managed to flee the scene, after twice being grabbed by the men, and jumped into a nearby river. He said he climbed up the embankment and went to a nearby farm where he knew the farmer Michael Clegg. When he got there he sent his uncle, Colin Collier, a text to pick him up, which he did.

He said he went to his uncle's home and then back to Beaufort Road where police had arrived.

Cross-examined by Michael Wolfkind, QC, defending Devalda, he denied knowing that Mr Brady and his boss, Stephen Balint, were involved with drugs.

Prosecuting QC, Richard Marks, asked Mr Collier why he had not rung the police. "I was in a panic, I was shocked and scared," he replied.

Heath Bowling, 38, of High Lane, Stockport, denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by giving false details about a Ford Galaxy to the DVLA and the police.

Devalda's girlfriend, Stacia Crossley, 28, also of Padiham Road, denies three charges of assisting an offender.

(Proceeding)

Comments unavailable on this story for legal reasons.