The man accused of shooting Elle Edwards outside a busy pub had been hit with a court injunction aimed at "preventing gang violence", a jury heard.
Connor Chapman, 23, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with the 26-year-old beautician's murder and the attempted murder of "intended targets" Kieran Salkeld and Jake Duffy outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey on December 24 last year.
Three other "innocent bystanders", Harry Loughran, Liam Carr and Nicholas Speed, were also wounded when the gunman sprayed 12 bullets from a military style Skorpion sub-machine gun towards the front entrance of the busy venue. Elle was struck twice in the head and suffered "unsurvivable" injuries.
Nigel Power, KC, prosecuting, has told the jury the Crown's case is that Elle was the "wholly innocent" victim of an ongoing feud between gangs based in the Woodchurch estate and Beechwood/Ford estate of Wirral.
READ MORE: Live court updates as Connor Chapman stands trial for Elle Edwards' murder
Chapman is alleged to be linked to men from the Woodchurch estate who had been shot and assaulted, allegedly by individuals connected to the Beechwood estate, the home of Salkeld and Duffy. Chapman denies being the gunman and claimed he has "no problem" with Salkeld or Duffy.
Today (Wednesday) the jury heard how in October last year, Chapman was served with an interim gang injunction by an officer from Merseyside Police, an interaction which was recorded on the officer's body-worn video camera.
Katy Appleton, junior counsel for the prosecution, told the jury civil legislation “allows police to apply for an injunction placing a range of provisions and requirements on the activities of a person". She said this can include banning them from being in certain places or associating with certain people.
The jury were told at 1.53pm on October 26, the officer served Chapman with the interim injunction at his grandparents’ address in Woodland Road, after it was granted by a County Court judge to "prevent gang related violence.".
The order included an exclusion zone, prohibiting him from an area of the Woodchurch estate, including his own home address on Houghton Road. He was prohibiting from associating with other people including Declan McGowan, Sam Searson, Kane Weston, Jake Duffy and Kieran Salkeld.
The order also prohibited Chapman from “threatening to use violence, directly or indirectly engaging in threatening or abusive conduct, being in possession of Class A or B drugs, being in possession of any equipment for use in the manufacture or distribution of class A or B drugs, owning or having more than one mobile phone or sim card, owning or having a phone or sim card where the number is not disclosed and riding or being passenger on an electric scooter, quad bike, motorbike, or scrambler bike within Merseyside".
The terms of the order required him to give notice within five days if he was to change home address, and to inform police if he changed phone number.
Ms Appleton said that the interim order was renewed on November 16, and served on Chapman that day "until further order".
Chapman denies murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of wounding with intent and possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He has pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods in connection with the Mercedes used by the gunman.
An alleged associate, 20-year-old Thomas Waring of Private Drive, Barnston, is also on trial accused of possessing a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender in relation to the murder of Elle Edwards.
The trial continues.
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