Illegal immigrant Francois Baron believed he had been promised he would be allowed to stay in the country if he helped police, the court heard this afternoon.

A police witness protection officer, who assessed whether Mr Baron was suitable to be included on the witness protection scheme, said Baron told him: "I think I can stay in this country. I have helped."

The un-named officer who gave his evidence from behind screens to protect his identity, said that when he spoke to Mr Baron he appeared to be under the impression that after making a statement to police he could stay in the UK.

But he told the court: "I told him otherwise and that no promises could or would be made to him."

The officer said that if a person was in the country illegally they were liable to be detained immediately by the Immigration Service.

But he said he believed Mr Baron had been given temporary leave by the home secretary to remain in the UK.

The officer said Mr Baron was not allowed to work and he assessed the financial support he required to live in this country ending a decision by the immigration authorities about his status.

He had decided Mr Baron would be paid a £56 a week allowance, the equivalent of Job Seekers' Allowance, £28 a week to visit a gym, a further £11 for bus travel and £5 a week for a phone card to make calls to his family.

He said Mr Baron had been given absolutely no promises for giving evidence.

The court was shown video footage of some of the alleged gang members being driven in a mini-bus to a brothel in Leeds in the early hours of Friday, November 18, last year.

Coach driver Ihjazal Haq told how he drove the men to two premises which were closed before dropping them off at a brothel in Armley, Leeds. He later picked them up from the premises and drove them back to the house in Harehills Lane. He described the men as very boisterous and happy.

Yusuf Abdillh Jamma, 20, of Small Heath, Birmingham, Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, 25, of Kentish Town, London, and brothers Faisal Razzaq, 25, and Hassan Razzaq, 26, both of Forest Gate, London, plead not guilty to PC Sharon Beshenivsky's murder.

Muzzaker Imtiaz Shah, 25, of London, admits murder and robbery but denies the attempted murder of PC Teresa Milburn. He has also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon and two charges of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Aslam and the Razzaq brothers deny robbery but Jamma has admitted that charge. Aslam, the Razzaq brothers and Jamma also plead not guilty to firearms offences.

The trial continues tomorrow.

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