In the Courts: `Gunman executed store manager'

A supermarket manager was executed by a gunman angry that he would not open a safe, a court was told. David Beesley, 28, was killed by a single shot to the back of his head in the office of his Kwik Save supermarket, in West Didsbury, Manchester, Martin Steiger QC told Manchester Crown Court.

Richard Roy Allen, 32, who denies murder, was trapped when his police and jail cells were bugged and secret tape recordings and videos made, Mr Steiger told the jury. Mr Allen also denies conspiring to rob the store in almost three years ago.

Mr Steiger said there were two safes in Mr Beesley's office, one containing most of the pounds 15,000 held at the supermarket and the other loose change. On the day he was killed, Mr Beesley did not have the keys to the large safe.

The court was told Mr Beesley was seen arriving at the store at 7am on Friday, February 3, 1995. A man was seen with him as he unlocked the doors.

"Something occurred in the office prompting him to be killed in a fashion of the most brutal execution," said Mr Steiger. The only plausible reason we can put before you why that was done to him was because the gunman was angry that he couldn't or wouldn't open up one or both of the safes."

Mr Steiger said the alarm in the manager's office was deactivated at 7.08am. Shortly afterwards a witness described hearing a dull bang that could have been the fatal shot.

Allen was arrested 16 days later and the cell he was sharing with another prisoner was bugged. Mr Steiger said: "Things were said by Allen which demonstrated that he must have been involved."

The trial resumes today.