A man fatally shot an intruder with a sawn-off shotgun and then jokingly asked him if he 'wanted an aspirin' as he lay dying, a court has heard. Adrian Frost, 61, made the remark after gunning down 26-year-old Connor Batty during a home invasion in Hemsworth, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on September 11 last year.
Court hears details of shooting and aftermath
Leeds Crown Court heard that Batty and two other men forced entry into Frost's home, armed with a pistol, baseball bat, and shears, intending to steal his cannabis grow. They shouted that they 'knew what he had' before Frost called 999 to report the break-in. Frost then loaded his illegal 12-bore sawn-off shotgun and opened fire as the intruders burst through the door, hitting Batty in the chest. Batty was pronounced dead shortly after. The other two men fled.
After the shooting, Frost sent a message to another person stating Batty was 'dead as a post' and took photos of his body. Prosecutor Tom Storey KC asked Frost if he found it 'amusing' to ask the stricken Batty, 'Do you want an aspirin mate?' Frost replied: 'I did not find it amusing at all. I was in shock. I do not know why I said it.'
Weapons and cannabis grow discovered
A police search of Frost's home uncovered a cache of weapons including air rifles, machetes, baseball bats, CS gas canisters, and hundreds of rounds of shotgun cartridges. Three of the four bedrooms had been converted to grow cannabis. Frost pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm and production of Class B drugs, but denies murder, claiming he acted in self-defence.
Frost initially told police he slipped and fired accidentally, but later admitted that was a lie. He told the court that people should be able to defend their homes if others break in. The trial continues.
