A prosecution witness facing deportation today denied being promised he would be allowed to stay in Britain if he helped police in the Sharon Beshenivsky case.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Francois Baron had been served with a notice of removal from the UK by an immigration officer.

Mr Baron told the court he was in panic and did not understand after the interview with the immigration office, before he was arrested by police in February this year.

Benjamin Nolan QC representing Faisal Razzaq said that while Mr Baron was being considered for witness support. He had indicated to a West Yorkshire police officer that he had been promised he would be allowed to stay in the UK if he helped.

Mr Nolan asked Mr Baron whether he had told a police officer that, and whether he had been promised he would be allowed to stay in the country if he helped. Mr Baron denied both suggestions.

Mr Baron added that he did not remember telling his former girlfriend, in a phone conversation on November 18 last year or the early hours of the 19th, that if he told police what he knew there may be a reward or they could deal with his immigration status.

And he denied taking an interest in newspaper coverage of the shooting of PC Beshenivsky.

Questioned by Mr Nolan, Mr Baron agreed he had felt a chill down his spine when he was arrested on suspicion of murder.

"I was shocked and surprised," he added.

The court heard Mr Baron was interviewed 11 times and a decision was then taken to release him without charge.

Asked by Mr Nolan if that came as a great relief, he replied: "Not really."

Mr Nolan said he had been given information by the prosecution that Mr Baron had been found somewhere to live rent free, had been provided with household appliances, his utility bills had been paid for and he had been paid a welfare allowance of £100 a week.

Yusuf Abdillh Jamma, 20, of Small Heath, Birmingham, Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, 25, of Kentish Town, London, and brothers Faisal Razzaq, 25, and Hassan Razzaq, 26, both of Forest Gate, London, plead not guilty to PC Sharon Beshenivsky's murder.

Muzzaker Imtiaz Shah, 25, of London, admits murder and robbery but denies the attempted murder of PC Teresa Milburn. He has also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon and two charges of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Aslam and the Razzaq brothers deny robbery but Jamma has admitted that charge.

Aslam, the Razzaq brothers and Jamma also plead not guilty to firearms offences.

The trial continues.

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