Gunman who shot Wakefield home raider dead tells court 'everybody should be able to defend their property'
Man charged with murder had cache of weapons stashed around his home
A resident accused of murdering a member of an armed gang who raided his home looking for drugs has told a jury that people should be permitted to protect their own property.
Adrian Frost is on trial at Leeds Crown Court charged with murdering Connor Batty at Frost’s property on Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, last year.
During the trial opening, it was heard that 26-year-old Mr Batty had been part of a gang intending to steal a “significant” cannabis grow at the house.
But after they forced entry, Frost opened fire with an unlicensed sawn-off shotgun, shooting Mr Batty to the chest.
Frost, 61, maintains it was in self defence.
Giving evidence today at the start of week two of his trial, Frost was asked by prosecutor Tom Storey KC if he thought people should be allowed to defend their own property.
He replied: “I think everybody should be allowed to defend their own property.”
When Mr Storey asked if it was okay to use lethal force with a shotgun, Frost responded: “You never know until you are pushed into that position.”
He was also quizzed about the amount of weapons found around his home, including three air rifles, machetes and long knives dotted around the property, including one fixed to his bedhead.
He also had 550 shotgun cartridges, an ammunition belt, two baseball bats, two canisters of CS gas and an extendable baton.
Quizzed as to why he had them, he said: “I have had an interest in knives and weapons all my life.”
Asked if he had them to protect his cannabis grow, he said “not particularly”, and that he had many of the weapons longer than the grow.
However, he could give no explanation as to why he had sawn down the illegal 12-bore shotgun’s barrel and stock, and why he had it stashed next to his bed.
The court heard that Mr Batty and two others had gone to Frost’s property on the evening of September 11 last year, demanding to be let in, telling him: “We know what you have got and we want it.”
When they began kicking the back door in, Frost grabbed his shotgun and loaded it with cartridges.
He dialled 999 to say he was being burgled, claiming they had the wrong house.
When the gang entered, armed with a gun, bat and shears themselves, Frost fired at Mr Batty.
Asked by Mr Storey if Frost thought he was in danger, he replied: “When three guys coming knocking at your door late at night when you are going to bed, they are not coming in for a cup of tea are they?
“It was sheer panic.”
He said he was under threat and had spotted a Glock pistol in the hand of one of the intruders.
After the others fled, Frost began CPR until paramedics could arrive. Batty was pronounced dead a short time later and Frost was arrested.
They uncovered a significant cannabis grow in three of the property’s four bedrooms.
WhatsApp messages showed Frost had sent pictures of Batty’s body in his yard to his brother and friends. Messages were also uncovered relating to the selling of cannabis, the Crown says.
Frost previously entered a guilty pleas to possession of a prohibited firearm and production of Class B drugs, but denies murder.
The trial continues.