THE man accused of murdering Driverline 247 director Kinglsey Monk told armed police who arrested him “you should have shot me”, a court heard on Friday.

Russell Leon Carter, 52, of Penrhos Crescent, Rumney, Cardiff, denies murdering father-of-two Mr Monk and the attempted murder of his co-workers Gethin Heal, Robert Lewis and Nathan Taylor.

Jurors in the trail at Newport Crown Court heard a statement from PC James Streeter, who said armed police officers approached Carter at Newport Central train station at around 8.40pm on October 20.

They challenged Carter, who was on the phone, and told him to put his hands above his head and arrested him.

As he was being arrested Carter said: “You should have shot me and just killed me. Got it over with.

“I was on the phone to an inspector and was going to hand myself in.”

In another statement jurors heard how South Wales Police negotiator, Chief Inspector Keith Prosser, left an answer phone message for Carter at 5.59pm asking him to contact police.

At 8.35pm Chief Insp Prosser received a call on his mobile phone from a withheld number and asked who it was. The caller replied: “Leon Carter”.

Chief Insp Prosser then heard shouts from another voice saying “put the phone down now” before the line went dead.

In other statements the court heard Carter sent a text message at 5.40pm to a friend saying he was in trouble and needed help. He also telephoned a neighbour who said he sounded panicked.

He told her police were looking for him and asked if he could come to her house for a few hours but she said no. He also said he wanted to get his passport, the court was told.

Previously in the trial the court heard lorry driver Carter bound and gagged his former boss and colleagues at gun point during a four-hour ordeal in which Mr Monk died.

The court heard Carter set fire to the Driverline 247 premises in New Inn, Pontypool, before leaving and disposing of the gun, which has never been recovered, and some of his clothes.

Proceeding