THE girlfriend of gangland boss Billy Webb has told of the moment two gunmen burst into his bedroom and shot him dead.

He was killed by two hitmen as he slept after they let themselves into his flat in Wigan with a key.

Helen Watkinson was in bed with the drugs baron when the assassins shot into the blanket -- killing Webb and injuring her in "a planned and calculated execution".

She was giving evidence in the trial of Brian Roper, aged 26 and Paul Swann, aged 25, both formerly of Bolton, who appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, accused of conspiring to murder Webb with others.

The two men are also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, along with Sarah Barber, aged 23, of Barn Court and Julie Hardman, aged 21, of Hastings Road, both Bolton, and Alexander Latimer, aged 24, of Rodmell Close, Bromley Cross.

Billy Webb was killed in the early hours of Friday May 25 in his flat in Whiteledge Road, Bryn, Wigan.

Miss Watkinson, who was aged 21 at the time, was shot in the arm.

She told the jury of seven women and five men, she had begun a relationship with Webb a couple of weeks before his murder.

On the night of the killing, the couple had been to the house of Sean Stockton, in Hindley, a close friend of Webb's, for a meal and drinks.

They arrived about 8pm and left about 1am, arriving at Webb's flat about a quarter of an hour later. Webb locked and bolted the front door.

Miss Watkinson said: "We went to bed. Billy went straight to sleep. I fell asleep about half an hour later, then I heard a gun shot. I didn't see anyone. I got out of bed and ran to the other side of the room.

"I was shot in my left arm. I haven't fully recovered from it yet. I didn't see who shot me. I rang 999 and then ran outside asking for help."

Miss Watkinson also called two friends to tell them what had happened, one of whom then called Mr Stockton.

She said she did not know what Webb did for a living, except that he owned a cafe in Bolton.

Sean Stockton told the court he went to the flat. He said: "The door was open and there was a mortice key on the floor.

"I went to the bedroom and saw Billy lying dead on the bed. I called the police and went to find Helen who was at a neighbour's house."

Earlier, during his opening statement, prosecutor Charles Garside QC said: "This was a planned and professional execution, as a result of his drug dealing business.

"As he slept in the bedroom of his flat, he was shot and killed by two gunmen who had entered the flat using a key."

Mr Garside told the jury it was not suggested that Roper and Swann were the gunmen.

"The allegation against these two is that they were part of the group that planned the killing and helped to carry it out."

He showed the jury photographs of bullet marks in the wall of the bedroom at Webb's flat and bundles of money found there which he said proved the motive for the shooting was not robbery.

He also showed them pictures of the front door which could only be opened by a mortice key and the bolt which had been forced off. The jury also saw photographs of a mortice key on the floor near the front door which did not belong to Webb.

Mr Garside said Roper claimed he was with his girlfriend Sarah Barber on the night of the shooting and never went out.

However, the court was told he had been given a false alibi by Miss Barber and her friend Julie Hardman.

Mr Garside added that Roper claimed Swann had borrowed his Range Rover that night and he later returned the keys in the early hours by pushing them through the letterbox.

The jury were told Swann claimed he needed to borrow the vehicle because he had loaned his car to Latimer and drove around the area until the early hours.

However, Mr Garside said he later changed his story, claiming he went to meet up with Roper for a drink at a location he could not remember, but they never met up.

The court heard a receipt with a mobile telephone number written on it was found in the Range Rover which the prosecution say belongs to Roper, but he has denied the phone was his.

The prosecution say they have traced telephone calls made by mobile phones belonging to Roper and Swann which prove they were involved in the murder.

Mr Garside said the records show Roper left Bolton and went to Worsley before driving to Wigan.

He made several calls which were traced to near to Webb's flat. He added that the records show he rang his girlfriend several times after midnight, proving he was not at home in bed with her.

The prosecution said the records also show that Swann was in the Wigan area too because calls were logged at the same mast.

Mr Garside said: "Someone had to make sure the gunman arrived at the right destination. Someone was waiting to see when Mr Webb came home and check the target was where it should be.

"There were a flurry of telephone calls the next morning between Roper and Swann. They were checking they had got their stories straight, checking the killing had occurred and checking their alibis."

Mr Garside said during police interview Swann admitted picking someone up in Worsley, bringing them to Bolton for a meeting and driving them back the day before the shooting.

He added: "This was the gunman being given final instructions for the shooting."

The court was told Latimer did not answer any questions during interview. Swann and Barber admitted the relevant two mobile phones belonged to them.

Witness Derek Woodrow told the court he worked as a driver for Webb and was employed to pick up packages of money from a variety of locations around the area. Mr Woodrow gave his evidence from behind a screen which the judge said was to shield him from the public gallery, not the defendants.

He said: "About four weeks before Mr Webb's death, I was called to Halliwell Road to pick up a package.

"Two men, who were associates of John Barber, chased me back to my car and one smashed the front and side window of the vehicle, saying 'this is business, get out'.

"I told an associate of Mr Webb what had happened and he started to wear a bullet proof vest as a result.

"I have been threatened by Mr Webb's enemies and I am frightened for my life and my family's life.

"I have asked for police assistance to secure my safety and have moved house.

"After Mr Webb's murder, I was told to get out of the area and destroyed the SIM card in my phone so I couldn't be contacted."

The case before the Honourable Mr Justice Hunt is expected to last three weeks.

(Proceeding)