Tom Bell murder trial: Drug dealer 'was at mum's house'

Tom Bell was said to be a "promising" boxer

A drug dealer accused of killing a boxer has said he was at his mum's house at the time of the shooting, and had "nothing to do with it".

Tom Bell, 21, was shot in the chest and abdomen through a pub window in Balby, Doncaster, on 17 January.

He died later at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

Joseph Bennia, 27, is on trial for Mr Bell's murder at Sheffield Crown Court. His drug-dealing partner Scott Gocoul, 30, also denies murder.

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Mr Bennia told court he and Mr Gocoul, of no fixed abode, were eating in the Maple Tree pub on the night Mr Bell was shot.

When Mr Bell arrived later, Mr Bennia said Mr Gocoul looked "panicked" and warned him things might "kick off".

The pair left soon afterwards.

In the car, Mr Bennia said Mr Gocoul was "fuming" and said, "I'm going to blast him", but was told not to be stupid.

Tom Bell was shot through a bay window at the Maple Tree pub in Balby on 17 January

He said he knew something "dodgy" was going on but did not think it would involve shooting, and the name Tom Bell was not mentioned, Mr Bennia said.

Later that evening Mr Bennia was dropped at his mother's house, where he said he watched DVDs and put his phone on Airplane Mode so as not to be involved in anything "dodgy".

But Mr Bennia said at about 21:00 GMT Mr Gocoul returned to the house and handed Mr Bennia a bag of clothes, telling him to "burn them", which he did - including a black balaclava.

He agreed with the defence counsel that he had been Mr Gocoul's "gopher" because everything was happening in a rush.

Later, Mr Bennia said he received a call from an unidentified person demanding to know where Mr Gocoul was, and threatening to come to his mother's house".

Mr Bennia said he rang people to find out "what was going off", and heard Mr Bell had been shot.

He "panicked" and told his mother to go to his brother's house, then went to a Premier Inn in Sheffield.

The trial continues.