Harrow man plotted murders similar to 'film scripts'

Warwick Burrows 48, of Osmond Close in Harrow, faces a string of charges along with four others involving using covert messaging platform Encrochat to plan murders in 2019, jurors at the Old Bailey in central London were told on Thursday.

Leon Smith, 40, Matthew Watson, 33, Dario Barnaby, 29, and Courtney Reid, 38, were also on trial.

The alleged named targets were Baytullah Gunduz, Ercan Garip and Sinan Ozger.

Encrochat was a platform popular among criminals as messages were encrypted and could not be easily intercepted.

Prosecutor Benn Maguire said the gang was led by Kemal Eren, known as “Fingers” because he had lost some of his digits, before he fled to Turkey.

He said the defendants “wanted to kill their rivals and competitors in the criminal underworld”.

Mr Maguire said: “These were classic contract killings, and there are parts of this that sound so extraordinary it sounds like a film script.”

He said the five men were arrested after police placed covert recording equipment in Smith’s home.

Mr Maguire added that police recovered two handguns during their investigation into the encrypted phones.

Encrochat was popular among criminal groups (Photo: PA / Encrochat)

During a police interview about the phone, Watson agreed it was his, but said he did not know the pin to access it, Mr Maguire told the court.

He added that when Watson was quizzed about this, he said: “People ring it and I answer, I don’t go in to it,” and he replied “no comment” when asked about an image of Mr Gunduz on the phone.

The jury heard messages on the phone also showed Watson discussing paying £1,000 for a revolver.

Burrows and Watson are charged with conspiring to murder Mr Gunduz and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence against him between September 1 and December 19, 2019.

They are also accused of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm against Mr Gunduz within the same dates.

Watson is also charged with possessing a 9mm Fabrique Nationale Browning Hi-Power pistol between September 7 and October 31, 2019.

The jurors were shown the gun, which Mr Maguire said had been recovered from the glove box of a stolen car.

 

Police found the Audi with a fake registration plate in Exeter Road, Enfield, where Mr Maguire said a mast which he linked to Watson and Burrows’s phones was located.

Barnaby, of no fixed address, is charged with unlawfully possessing a pistol converted to discharge 9mm short calibre bullets, with the intent to endanger life.

Mr Maguire said this weapon, which the jury also examined, was found under a seat in a taxi.

He added Barnaby “accepts that he had that gun when he was stopped in the taxi by armed police” but said he did not intend to kill anyone with it.

Smith, of West Hendon, Burrows and Barnaby are charged with conspiring to murder Mr Garip, and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence against him, between September 19 and December 13, 2019.

Along with Reid, the trio are also accused of conspiracy to murder Mr Ozger, conspiracy to possess a firearm and intent to cause grievous bodily harm within the same period.

Barnaby and Smith face further charges involving conspiracies to possess firearms and ammunition with the intent to endanger life, with several other suspects not involved in this trial.

The case continues.