Gun murder-accused linked by bullets, court told

Gavin Parry's body was discovered at the site in Western Road on13 April 2021

Bullets found in a submachine gun used to kill a man on an industrial estate, were also seized at an address linked to a man accused of the murder, a court heard.

Dante Kalsi denies killing Gavin Parry, 31, in Birmingham on 13 April 2021, and told his trial at the city's crown court the victim had been "on a serious mission to hurt" him and his friends.

The jury heard that when Mr Kalsi was arrested at his girlfriend's house, in Erdington, bullets matching the ones used to kill Mr Parry were found at the property.

Remell Bailey and Mr Kalsi, both 28 and from Birmingham, deny murder. They also deny an alternative charge of manslaughter and one count each of perverting the course of justice.

In court, Mr Kalsi denied the bullets belonged to him and said they were given to him "to hold and store for someone".

The son of a former prison officer, he said: "I was running in a bad crowd."

'Planned ambush'

When asked by Michael Magarian KC, for the defence, if he knew the bullets he was in possession of were the same make as the ones used in the fatal shooting, Mr Kalsi replied, "no."

"To me they were just bullets, I didn't know the difference. It was only until the trial that I found out they were the same," he told the jury.

The court heard that two weeks before Mr Parry was killed, Mr Kalsi was involved in a double-shooting, to which he had pleaded guilty.

Mr Parry was shot twice in the head with a Skorpion submachine gun, at the unit in Western Road, Winson Green, the court heard.

He was wearing a bullet proof vest underneath a jacket which had two live rounds of ammunition in a pocket.

Prosecutors have told the jury the shooting was a "planned ambush", which Mr Kalsi denies, and said that beforehand he and 11 other acquaintances were at the industrial unit "chilling and having a good time."

Jurors heard the majority of CCTV cameras had been disabled at the unit, which was the site of Mr Bailey's father's business.

At the time of the shooting, Mr Kalsi told the court he was in the upstairs office area of the unit pouring drinks "in a good mood and chilling", until "a roar of continuous gun shots" were heard.

"We all hit the floor and were scared to move," Mr Kalsi said.

'No underlying motives'

He told the court that when he eventually went downstairs he found Mr Parry, who himself had been armed with a Sten machine gun, on the floor next to his weapon.

Mr Parry had been "on a serious mission to hurt all of us", the defendant told the court.

When asked if he saw Mr Parry as a victim, Mr Kalsi told the court: "I feel sorry for his family, but Mr Parry didn't come back to do any talking.

"He wasn't a man of nice character."

Three men, mentioned in court as profiles 23,25,29, had been connected to a dispute involving the victim, the jury heard.

"[But] I did not believe anyone in that unit had any reason to hurt Mr Parry, there were no underlying motives," Mr Kalsi told the court.

"He was much older than us and I didn't know who he was."

The trial continues.