by Alex Wellman Terrified customers fled for their lives after masked gunman killed a man in a barbershop, a court has heard. Witnesses were giving evidence on Monday June 8 at the beginning of the second week of the trial into the murder

by Alex Wellman

Terrified customers fled for their lives after masked gunman killed a man in a barbershop, a court has heard.

Witnesses were giving evidence on Monday June 8 at the beginning of the second week of the trial into the murder of Wayne Freckleton, 25, of the Church End Estate.

Mr Freckleton, known as 'Brands', was shot in the head and killed as he waited for a friend in Ike's barbers in Acton Lane, Harlesden, in April last year.

One witness, who gave evidence from behind a screen in Court 6 of the Old Bailey, told jurors he was sitting on a wall outside the shop and could sense something was about to happen when he saw two men walk past him.

The witness told the court his suspicions were heightened by the heavy clothes the duo was wearing on a hot day.

He said: "They were walking so fast that right away I was saying to myself these guys are going to do something.

"The first one hand his hands in his pockets and the second one had his hands in his waist."

He later said: "The taller one looked at me and his face was screwed up in a vicious way."

When asked what happened next the witness said: "The short one pushed the door and gone in and the other one gone in behind him.

"Then I heard a bang."

He was then asked what happened next and said: "I jumped off the wall as I know it is a gunshot. Then I hear bang, bang. Two more."

Another witness described how she saw two men go into the shop just before the shooting who appeared to be hyped up.

Najet Richards, who was at the bus stop opposite, said: "I heard one or two shots. Following that I heard screaming and shouting."

When asked what she did after the shooting Mrs Richards said: "I was concerned for my safety. I moved away from the bus stop. I tried to keep as quiet as I could."

The prosecution allege that the young father was murdered in revenge for a double killing at the Tudor Rose nightclub in Southall in 2002.

Femi Forde, 24, of Harlesden Gardens, Harlesden, Richard Osborne, 28, of Jeffries House, Brett Crescent, Stonebridge, Antoine Richards, 18, of Hayes, Middlesex, and Marcus Siyum, 19, of Burns Road, Harlesden, all deny murder.

A fifth man, Jamal Smith, 27, from Colchester, Essex, denies two counts of assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

alex.wellman@archant.co.uk