A FORMER soldier killed a man with a shotgun so he didn't have to pay a £6,000 debt, a court heard.

Graham Redford blasted victim, Stacey Lloyd, of Ripon Close, Whitefield, in the head at point blank range, when they met at a Radcliffe industrial estate.

Mr Lloyd's body was dumped in the boot of his own car which was abandoned on a quiet road in Whitefield and set alight.

Redford, aged 42, of Whittle Street, Walkden, denies murdering Mr Lloyd in January 2005. Clive Heaton, aged 46, of Belcroft Grove, Little Hulton is alleged to have helped Redford carry out the attack and also denies a charge of murder.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Redford, who once ran a private investigation business, owed £6,000 to Mr Lloyd's boss and had gone to see Mr Lloyd about it.

They met at an industrial unit in Radcliffe, from where Redford ran a mobile catering business. Mr Lloyd was killed by a single shot to the head by a 20 bore shotgun at point blank range.

Police discovered the body of Mr Lloyd, aged 31, after being alerted by a passing motorist who found the burning Subaru car, prosecutor, Simon Jackson QC, told the court.

The victim had been targeted with a shotgun which was one of an arsenal of firearms legally owned by ex-soldier, Redford, the jury was told.

Mr Jackson said: "The Crown's case is that Graham Redford planned and carried out the killing with the assistance of Clive Heaton. It was done so that Graham Redford did not have to pay back the £6,000 in cash."

The court was told that Mr Lloyd had an extensive criminal record and at the time of his murder was facing criminal charges involving wounding and possessing drugs and ammunition.

Mr Jackson said: "There is no doubt he associated with known criminals and it's possible he may have been involved in criminal activity which brought him into conflict with others who may have wished to harm him."

In the days leading up to the shooting, Mr Lloyd's face had been slashed and his home was burgled.

But the prosecution claimed the motive behind his murder was the money owed by Redford to the victim's boss after they had been involved in a business deal together.

Redford's wife, Sharon, aged 39, also of Whittle Street, denied perverting the course of justice by trying to provide a false alibi for her husband during the police investigation into the killing.

The trial is expected to last six weeks.