Court hears claims pair ‘cased the joint’ the night before young mum murdered

A man accused of being involved in the contract killing of a young mother has denied casing the murder scene with the alleged schoolboy hitman beforehand.

The Old Bailey heard Paul Nicoloau, 28, is said to have pointed out the flat where Gulistan Subasi was staying to the accused 15-year-old gunman from Willesden,

The day after, on March 22 last year, the 26-year-old was shot dead in Hackney, east London.

Giving evidence today (Wednesday), Nicoloau denied he ‘cased the joint’ and insisted he had never met the accused gunman.

Nicoloau denied knowing Ms Subasi’s ex-partner Serdar Ozbek, 28, who is accused of arranging the killing with his brother Hussain.

He said on the day before the shooting he was out buying his daughter a birthday present.

Asked about calls made to his phone by Hussain that day, he claimed that they related to his friend owing money for cocaine.

Later that evening mobile phone records show that Nicoloau was in the Clapton area.

But he claimed he drove there to buy some ‘weed’.

It is claimed Ms Subasi was killed after she threatened to take custody of her son with Serdar Ozbek.

Jurors have heard that the 15 year-old hitman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was recruited by Izak Billy, 22, of Pember Road, Kensal Rise, and given a safe house by Leigh Bryan, 25.

The teenage gunman later confessed to a friend Ryan Hatunga that he had only been paid �200 of the promised �2,000 fee, it is claimed.

Bryan from Hornsey, Billy, Ozbek, from Wood Green, Nicoloau, and the accused teen, who is now 16, all deny murder.

Billy also denies making a threat to kill Ryan Hatunga on April 7 last year.