A MURDER accused lied to police because he feared the repercussions for himself and his friends, a court heard.

Aston Hannis today (Monday) gave his evidence into the murder of Gurinderjit Rai, who was found shot dead in a layby in Corhampton on July 13, 2019.

The trial at Winchester Crown Court resumed today after it was halted last month when Hannis developed Covid symptoms.

The 30-year-old previously told the jury that on July 12 two men with “slight scouse” accents visited his home in Leah Gardens, Eastleigh, and took the Mercedes he had bought for his drugs runner, cash owed to Mr Rai and his phone.

He said that the men called later that evening and said: “They would be down next week to collect the outstanding money that was owed and they also told me that Rai was dead, that they killed him.”

Prosecutor Andrew Langdon questioned Hannis as to why he did not tell friends and co-defendants Charlie Statham and Paul White about the visit and Mr Rai’s death. He said: “Obviously if I told Charlie or Paul they would sorta know something was going on that night. I didn’t want to turn around and tell them that he was dead, that he had been shot.”

The court was previously shown covert recordings of Hannis and Statham in a custody van while on the way to magistrates’ court, in the video Hannis says: “You said nothing about K Dot have you”.

Statham shakes his head, and Hannis says: “Can’t mention K Dot coz that is where the tin is”. K Dot refers to Hannis’ cousin Kye Page.

Mr Langdon alleged that “the tin” is the sawn-off shotgun that was used to kill Mr Rai, but Hannis says that it is referring to some cannabis he had at his cousin’s house.

Hannis also discussed the pair’s alleged visit to fields in the Upham area, where, the court previously heard, the Mercedes was dumped off Longwood Dean Lane, and had been set alight.

In the police van Hannis is heard telling Statham to remember that they had been to those fields with his cousin's dog, but Mr Langdon said: “You’re trying to persuade Mr Statham to remember something that he doesn’t remember about why he is in the field just in case they find some DNA.”

Hannis was also asked by Mr Langdon why he had not mentioned his friends during a police interview, as is it his case that he, Statham and White where at co-defendant Philip Hodan's house watching boxing on the night of the murder.

Hannis said: “I mentioned no-one’s name in the interview. Obviously, I didn’t want my other pal to get dragged in and get arrested as well.”

The jury was told that Hannis only mentioned the Liverpudlians visiting his home in his defence statement last year and not in any police interviews, to which he said: “I have already sorta mentioned the Scousers, I didn’t want to bring them up at all.

“I was fearful if I told the police exactly what I knew and who it was – the repercussions for me would have been bad.”

Hannis, 30, of Leah Gardens, Eastleigh; Statham, 30, of Crescent Close, Oliver's Battery; Barlow, from Horley, Surrey; White, 27, of Dyson Drive, Abbotts Barton, all deny murder.

Hodan, 43, denies participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group.

The trial continues.