An alleged gunman said a QC was talking to him "like a piece of s***" before a murder trial was halted because he had a headache.
Self-confessed drug dealer Rueben Murphy is accused of shooting 26-year-old Patrick Boyle in a Huyton cul-de-sac last summer. Prosecutors allege he carried out a "public execution" on an electric bike, after arguing with an associate of Mr Boyle earlier that day.
But Murphy says at the time Mr Boyle was gunned down he was in a back garden in another part of Huyton, "off me head on ket". He denies knowing or shooting Mr Boyle and has told Liverpool Crown Court: "I might have sold drugs in the past, but I'm not a killer."
READ MORE: Alleged gunman was 'sniffing ket in garden at time of murder'
Murphy continued to be cross-examined today by Ian Unsworth, QC, prosecuting, about events on the afternoon of Thursday, July 1, 2021. The unemployed 26-year-old, who left school without any qualifications, has been accompanied throughout the trial by an intermediary, to assist him with following proceedings.
Murphy is alleged to have shot Mr Boyle twice in Newway, off Lordens Road, just before 6pm. Prosecutors say Lyme Grove in Huyton, where Murphy's co-accused Ben Doyle, 24, lived, was "a hub for the launch of the fatal attack".
Yet Murphy has said he used to go to the rear garden of an "empty house" next door to Doyle's home on a daily basis, to smoke cannabis and sniff ketamine. He previously told the jury he argued with Frazer Brown, an associate of Mr Boyle, in that street at around 12.40pm.
He said this was because Mr Brown owed him money over an old cannabis debt and "took the p***" out of him when he went to prison. Asked by Mr Unsworth whether he had a temper, Murphy said: "Not really, no."
Murphy has said Mr Brown chased him with a fence panel, before Doyle came out and told Mr Brown to "f*** off". Murphy has explained he left on a pedal bike to get away, then went to the area of Pennard Avenue, which was to call at a friend's house, and not to collect anything.
Mr Unsworth asked him why he wanted to go there, to which Murphy said he wanted to see his friend. The prosecutor asked him why, and Murphy said he had already answered the question. He told the QC: "You're talking to me like a piece of s***."
Murphy, who yesterday said Mr Unsworth was "bang out of order" for accusing him of lying to the jury and being the man who shot Mr Boyle, told his intermediary he had a headache. Following a break in proceedings, the trial was set to resume, but Murphy indicated he was still feeling unwell.
Shortly after the lunchtime break, High Court judge Mr Justice Stephen Morris called jurors back into court and thanked them for their "patience". He said: "As you may have been aware, the evidence of Mr Murphy was paused because he's not feeling well and he is not feeling well enough to continue today.
"So I am going to ask you to go home for the day. But just to say this, the aim is to continue with his evidence tomorrow."
The trial has heard a blue and white Sur-Ron electric bike, partially "wrapped in black bin bags", left the rear garden gate of a property two houses down from Doyle's home at 5.40pm. Prosecutors allege Doyle was on the bike and he was soon joined by Murphy, who they say then split from his associate and used the bike to travel to Newway and shoot Mr Boyle, just after 5.56pm.
The jury has watched footage of the alleged masked gunman - said to have been wearing black gloves - then making his way to Barkbeth Road, where Murphy was living at the time. Prosecutors say the cyclist went off camera in that area for around eight minutes.
The court has heard CCTV showed the rider - no longer wearing gloves and with the dark material wrapped around the bike no longer visible - then cycled to Lyme Grove, where he arrived by 6.08pm. There it is alleged there was an "interaction" between the cyclist and a man said to be Doyle, before the cyclist went through the rear garden gate at 6.09pm. Seconds later, the prosecution say Murphy emerged.
Murphy has said he didn't get on an electric bike that day. He has told the jury the man said to be him was "taller and skinnier" and wearing different clothing.
The jury has heard police found a pair of gloves on top of a kitchen cupboard at Murphy's Barkbeth Road home on July 6. Prosecutors say the left glove bore gunshot residue (GSR), which matched GSR inside two cartridge cases found at the scene of the shooting.
They have told the jury the inside of the glove revealed a mixed DNA profile, said to relate to Murphy and at least three other individuals. However, Murphy has said he "definitely" didn't wear any gloves on July 1 because "it was sunny".
Murphy, of Oak Avenue, Newton-le-Willows; and Doyle, of Lyme Grove; Huyton, deny murder, possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life.
(Proceeding)
