A DEFENDANT in the M62 gun conspiracy trial was escorted to his car by police officers because of fears for his safety, the jury was told yesterday.

Mohsin Amin, 32, who along with two other men denies conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, was escorted from Leeds Crown Court to his vehicle on Thursday afternoon due to “the presence of two people in the public gallery.”

His barrister, Abbas Lakha QC, said that Amin had not himself noticed anyone in the public gallery and did not know who the people were, but the police were sufficiently concerned to walk with him to his car.

Amin, 32, who is from Dewsbury, said he was asked by Yassar Yaqub, who was later shot dead by police, to go with him to Cafe de Akbar, in Leeds Road, Bradford, to meet with Mohammed Nisar Khan, known as Meggy, to sort out a dispute.

Cross-examined by Peter Moulson QC, prosecuting, Amin said he accepted all the evidence given by the armed officers about the shooting of Mr Yaqub at junction 24 of the M62.

Amin said Mr Yaqub had a firearm but he did not see him holding it.

Mr Moulson put to Amin: “Being mixed up with drug dealers is a dangerous game isn’t it?”

Amin agreed and said he made no comment to police questions after the shooting because he was “traumatised.”

“I’d just seen my mate shot in front of me.”

Mr Moulson said Amin was “protecting the team” by not naming anyone in his defence statement.

Amin said he refused to name a man referred to as Raa because he was frightened for his life and that of his family.

His co-defendants are David Butlin, 39, of Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, and Rexhino Arapaj, 28, of Thornlea Road, Huddersfield. Butlin further denies having a push dagger as an offensive weapon.

Arapaj told the jury he came to the UK from Albania when he was 14. He met Mr Yaqub at school in Huddersfield and they reminded friends. Arapaj worked as a handyman for Yaqub’s father, a businessman who owned houses, a clothes shop and a car trading company.

Arapaj said he had gone with Mr Yaqub to meetings in the area before the trip to Bradford on January 2, 2017.

Mr Yaqub told him the meeting at Cafe de Akbar was about money he was owed for a car. He asked Arapaj to go with him because did not trust the man he was meeting.

Arapaj told the court Mr Yaqub drove him in his Scirocco and Butlin joined them. They went to the Cedar Court Hotel at Ainley Top, near Huddersfield, where Mr Yaqub jumped out of the car.

Butlin then drove the Scirocco and Arapaj got into the passenger seat.

Asked by his barrister Abdul Iqbal QC if he had questioned Mr Yaqub about what was happening, Arapaj said: “He was a secretive guy. Every time I asked him (in the past) he brushed me off.”

Arapaj said he saw nothing unusual about the meeting at Cafe de Akbar.

Afterwards, Mr Yaqub said: “Everything is sorted. Let’s go back.”

When armed police stopped them, Arapaj said: “I was terrified. I did not know what was going on.”

Asked by Mr Iqbal: “On the second of January had you armed yourself with any kind of weapon?”

Arapaj replied: “No sir.”

Asked: “Did you know that Dave had any kind of weapon with him?”

He again replied: “No sir,” and to: “Did you know that anyone was in possession of any kind of weapon or ammunition?” Arapaj said: “No sir.”

He agreed he lied to the police about what happened that day.

“I had never seen something like that. I was told my friend had been shot dead and that he was carrying a gun in the car.”

He told the jury he never thought his friend had anything to do with drugs or firearms.

When asked: “Had you heard the name Meggy when you set off for Bradford?” he replied: “No sir.”

Cross-examined by Mr Moulson, Arapaj said he had thought of Mr Yaqub as a brother.

He assumed he was wealthy because of his cars and clothes.

Asked by Mr Moulson: “Did you know he had body armour in his bedroom and a machete under his bed,” Arapaj said: “No sir.”

He continued: “I had Yassar in my head as completely different. I had never been involved in drugs, guns or anything like that.” The trial continues.