A hit was put out on an Aberdeen man amid tensions over a girl and drugs, a court has heard.
Warren Keating, 29, Darren Summers, 30, and Jeff Binnie, 24, are on trial accused of conspiring to murder Henry Smith.
The trio, who also face a string of drugs charges, allegedly acquired a Colt revolver for the hit, as well as cartridges, black tracksuits and two mobile phones.
Yesterday, the High Court in Edinburgh heard the alleged hit was organised after Mr Stephen – known as Aitcher – fell out with another dealer, known as PJ, over a girl and drugs.
Witness Antonia Neill, who bought the men’s tracksuits and phones, added: “There had been an incident at a primary school where a car had touched another car. Aitcher was involved in that. There was also drugs as well.”
The jury heard that the group had also obtained a motorbike for the alleged hit, but it was stolen.
Another member of the gang – who cannot be named for legal reasons – reported the theft to police.
Ms Neill, 47, said the group – who she had put up at an address on North Anderson Drive – “weren’t very happy” when they discovered the bike had gone.
She told advocate depute David Taylor: “Jeff was going to ride the bike.”
Mr Taylor then asked: “Was Warren going to be the shooter?”
She replied: “Yes.”
The court heard police later learned Ms Neill was keeping a gun at her house, and she was eventually given a community payback order after appearing at the High Court in Glasgow last year.
The three men deny conspiring to murder Mr Stephen in Aberdeen between September 1 2016 and November 24 2016, as well as the drugs charges.
Keating and Summers also deny robbing a branch of Coral Bookmakers at Cornhill Shopping Arcade on October 27, 2016. The trial, before judge Lady Scott, continues.
