A MARTIAL arts instructor accused of killing a man told a court yesterday he had never met the dead man.

Anthony Bottrill said that on the evening that Bryan Scott was shot dead on the showground at Kirkleatham, he was probably out running and then reading at home, but he said he was not in the area where the shooting was carried out.

Mr Scott, 26, of Charles Street, Redcar, was found dead in March. He had suffered two shotgun wounds.

Bottrill, 41, a black belt in martial arts, of High Street West, Redcar, is charged with murder and with making a threat to kill Dean Taylor. He has denied the charges.

Yesterday, Bottrill told the court he was seeing Mr Taylor's estranged wife, but he said he had never met Mr Taylor or Mr Scott, who was the fiance of a friend of Amanda Taylor.

He said he had no idea that Mr Scott was involved in drugs. He said he did not own a shotgun and had last used one about 15 years ago.

Asked what his feelings were towards drugs and drug dealers, Bottrill said: "I'm vehemently against them - not so much people using drugs, but suppliers of it."

The prosecution alleges Bottrill was the author of three anonymous letters, one to Mr Taylor and one to police officers. The second letter to the police arrived after Mr Scott was shot and blamed Mr Taylor for the killing.

Bottrill said he had not written the letters, although the handwriting was similar.

The case continues