Two brothers accused of murdering a car dealer met with his love rival a week before his death, a Court heard.

Car mechanic Stephen Wilson told Leeds Crown Court he saw Mark Deakin and his brother David visit Richard Mears to have a tyre repaired.

The court had heard the pair - who are co-accused with their stepfather, David Deakin senior, of bludgeoning Mark Hickman in a country lane last February - had been hired by Mr Hickman to "sort out" Mr Mears, who had allegedly discovered Mr Hickman was having an affair with his wife.

The court had earlier heard Mr Hickman had taken photos of Mr Mears at his tyre repair business in Booth Street, Cleckheaton so the Deakins could identify him.

Mr Wilson, who ran a car workshop next door to Mr Mears, said the pair drove up in early February last year with a damaged tyre.

A week later on February 14 the body of 32-year-old Mr Hickman was found with a smashed skull and a cut throat in Bridge Lane, Shelf, near Bradford.

David Deakin senior, 52, and Mark Deakin, 30, both of First Avenue, Windy Bank, Liversedge, and David Deakin junior, 26, of Cliffe Street, Staincliffe, Batley, all deny murdering Mr Hickman, of Whin Knoll Avenue, Keighley.

The court also heard from Stephen Mallinson who, on the night of the car dealer's death, heard on his radio scanner at his Undercliffe home what he believed was one of the murderers talking on a mobile phone.

After hearing several bursts of conversation the male caller said: "We'll get into the car, you come around the back, drag him down the field and slit his throat."

Mr Mallinson said: "I was shocked, I immediately picked up the scanner and went to my girlfriend's. I was shaken and I'd rather stop there with her than stop on my own and worry about what I'd heard."

The case continues.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.