A MAN told a court how he and his colleagues were allegedly held captive by his former colleague for four hours.

Giving evidence in the trial of Russell Carter at Newport Crown Court yesterday, survivor Gethin Heal said he was tied up and gagged by Carter in the toilet of Driverline 247 on October 20 last year.

Along with Robert Lewis and Nathan Taylor, they were bound with cable ties, duct tape and rope during the ordeal at the company premises in New Inn, Pontypool.

Jurors heard he tried to call emergency services, but Carter found his phone and, brandishing a gun, said he would kill him if he tried anything again.

Mr Heal said Carter wanted money and told him it was Mr Monk he wanted.

He said he heard Mr Monk arrive, then heard muffled sounds like somebody being hit against a filing cabinet before hearing Mr Monk shout “Help me boys."

He described how he heard Mr Monk’s screams for help from the main office, but was unable to help.

“The screams were haunting, it was terrible. I have never heard anything like it before,” he said.

Mr Heal said Mr Lewis, who was in the toilet with him and Mr Taylor, managed to break free from his ties and said he was going to try help Mr Monk.

Moments later Mr Heal said he heard loud bangs like metal hitting concrete, then silence.

Carter then appeared covered in blood, holding a metal chisel-type bar.

Mr Heal said Carter went back into the main office before he heard banging, like someone being shaken against the floor, and muffled screams for help.

He said: “Kingsley was screaming and Carter was shouting ‘shut up, shut up’.

“It was a terrible scream for help, a scream of fear. It became slowly muffled, it got quieter and quieter, then nothing.”

Mr Heal said he smelled smoke and realised he had to get out. He thought he was the only one left alive.

He managed to remove his shoes, break free from the cable ties and went into the main office where he met Mr Taylor, who had come to try and set him free with two butter knives.

Mr Heal crawled through the office to avoid the black smoke filling the room.

He found Mr Monk face down on the floor with his hands tied behind his back.

Mr Heal said he realised he was dead and pulled him out of the office before running next door to get help.

Carter denies murdering Driverline 247 director Mr Monk and the attempted murder of Gethin Heal, Robert Lewis and Nathan Taylor.

Petrol and gun used to threaten worker

Nathan Taylor told the court he arrived at work with Robert Lewis at around 9.10am and as they entered the office, Mr Lewis gasped and put his hands to his face.

Moments later he felt liquid being thrown at his face and could smell it was petrol.

Mr Taylor said he looked up to see Carter holding a gun and a lit lighter, threatening to burn him if he didn’t do what he was told.

He described how Carter instructed the men to tie each other up using cable ties and ordered them to lie on the floor in the toilet.

He said he heard Mr Monk arrive and heard what sounded like a scuffle and shouts for help.

Later Carter came in and ordered Mr Taylor him to show him how to transfer money into his bank account using the internet, the court heard.

When showing Carter, Mr Taylor said Mr Monk, who was bound and gagged, winked and nodded at him.