A body-building drug dealer was killed by one of his 'customers' exactly three years after brutally "kneecapping" him over a debt, a Court heard.

Nicholas Hickson arranged to meet Philip Smith at an isolated lay-by in Tong Lane, Tong, Bradford, saying he would hand over some of the cash he owed, a jury was told.

But instead, Hickson blasted Mr Smith in the neck with a shotgun before re-loading the weapon and 'finishing him off' with another shot to the head, Leeds Crown Court was told yesterday.

Franz Muller, prosecuting, said the killing occurred on the night of February 19, 2002 - three years to the day after Mr Smith had broken Hickson's leg with a baseball bat over a £9,000 debt.

Hickson, 32, of Royds Avenue Birkenshaw, denies murdering Mr Smith, 29, of Highfield Avenue, Pudsey.

He admits shooting and killing Mr Smith but told detectives the gun had inadvertently gone off when he lunged for it.

Mr Muller said Mr Smith had given the plumber and heating engineer, who was also smaller-scale drugs dealer, a large consignment of cannabis and ecstasy to look after which he had buried in woodland in Birkenshaw.

But when police uncovered the stash and removed it, Mr Smith still demanded the cash equivalent from Hickson, he added.

Mr Muller told the jury: "You may think it was the fact that the drugs went missing from their hiding place that triggered the chain of events which led to the killing of Mr Smith."

The court heard that Mr Smith, 29 - a Pudsey dad-of-one and second hand car dealer - made Hickson sell drugs for him to clear the debt. But despite him regularly handing over cash the amount never dropped because of 'interest' added by Mr Smith.

Eventually, after Mr Smith refused to take back a batch of contaminated cannabis, the figure rose to £17,500 and he threatened to burn down Hickson's house "with everyone inside" unless it was settled.

Mr Muller said: "He said he felt trapped and wanted to confront him to extricate himself from the intimidation. On February 19, 2002, exactly three years after he, as it were, had been kneecapped by the deceased he arranged to meet him in a lay-by taking with him a loaded shotgun."

As Mr Smith got into Hickson's van, Hickson fired off both barrels of the gun, one blast hitting him in the neck, the other hitting the driver's seat.

Mr Muller said as Mr Smith slumped to the floor, Hickson re-loaded the gun and fired a shot which "went through his head".

Hickson dumped the gun and some of his clothes in a reservoir and Mr Smith's body - which had been dragged out of sight behind his Audi car - was discovered by a passing motorist the following morning, the jury was told.

The court heard how Hickson said in interviews he had originally taken £8,500 to pay off his debt and brought the shotgun along to warn off the powerful body-builder.

But Mr Muller highlighted the fact that the weapon had been loaded and had its safety catch off, adding: "You may think this is more in line with revenge or finally settling a score."

The case continues.