THE son of a tortured and murdered cannabis farmer said his father had been involved in a "heated argument" with one of four men accused of killing him.

Gavin Waters gave evidence from behind a curtain at Chester Crown Court. His father's battered body was found on June 20 last year at a farm in Tabley, Cheshire.

The 25-year-old told the court how his father, Brian, had been involved in drug dealing and this had led him being taken to meet one of the accused men, John Wilson.

He told how he later overheard a phone conversation between the men which had become heated and he had recognised the voice as that of Wilson.

Wilson, aged 54, of Melbourne Avenue, Manchester, is jointly charged with James Stuart Raven, aged 45, of Parnham Close, Radcliffe; Otis Matthews, aged 27, of Marple Road, Chisworth; and Ashley Guishard, aged 30, of York Road, Sale, of the murder of Mr Waters, aged 44, of Mainwaring Close, Nantwich. They are also accused of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm on Mr Waters and another man, Suleman Razak, aged 21. Raven is also charged with indecent assault. They deny all the charges.

Mr Waters said his father had driven him for meetings in a car park at a McDonald's in Chorlton and at a garage in Deansgate, Manchester.

Both times, his father had got out of his car to speak to Wilson and on the second occasion he had handed over a small package in a carrier bag.

After a third meeting, he did not meet Wilson again , but he did hear his voice again "in heated arguments over the phone" with his father - possibly at the beginning of 2003.

The jury heard that Brian Waters had been involved in running a cannabis farm at Burnt House Farm in Tabley.

The court has been told that Mr Waters, his son and daughter, and Mr Razak had been held in a barn at the farm and had been subjected to tortures including being whipped with canes, and having molten plastic poured on their skins.

The prosecution allege that Wilson had fallen out with Mr Waters after having spent a number of years together dealing in drugs, and that Wilson had orchestrated the murder, although he had not been there at the time.

Proceeding