A FORMER private investigator accused of shooting an alleged drug dealer in the head has claimed a notorious drugs baron was responsible.

Graham Redford, aged 43, told a murder trial at Manchester Crown Court that he did not kill Stacey Lloyd, of Ripon Close, Whitefield.

And he denied putting the 31-year-old's body in the boot of his Subaru car before setting it alight in Unsworth in January, 2001.

At the time of the killing, Redford was sub-letting space in one of his Radcliffe industrial units to Lloyd, who was said to be a drug dealer, and Lloyd's boss, an alleged drug baron who cannot be named.

Defending, Jonathan Goldberg QC told the jury of six men and six women: "There is no evidence, forensic or otherwise, to say that the deceased was murdered at Mr Redford's units.

"And there is no evidence to say that his 20 bore gun committed that murder."

Redford, of Whittle Street, Walkden, is jointly accused with his employee and friend Clive Heaton, aged 46, of Belcroft Grove, Little Hulton. Heaton also denies murder.

Redford told the court that Lloyd had been dealing drugs behind his boss's back - creating a 'turf war' - and was involved in the rip-off of a Manchester family, known for their links with organised crime.

He said: "I believe Lloyd was killed by his boss and close associates."

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

The jury was told that Redford, a private detective and former soldier, became a police informant in 1992.

Listing his work as a private investigator, Redford claimed that a senior GMP officer instructed him to spy on former Manchester deputy chief constable John Stalker.

Superintendent Tony Cook confirmed to the court that Redford was registered on the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) computer system of informants.

But he had been marked down as 'a dangerous informant' after the National Criminal Intelligence Service claimed Redford had the potential to 'embarrass' the police by obtaining information for his own investigations.

Mr Cook confirmed that GMP had relocated an officer after a tip-off from Redford that members of the Manchester family were planning to kill him.

Redford said part of his motivation for maintaining a relationship with Lloyd and his boss was to pass information to the police.

At the time of Lloyd's murder, Redford was a self-employed caterer.

He owned four trailers and provided hot food at concerts. He struck up a deal with Lloyd's boss, but the arrangement went sour and Redford confronted the boss at his home.

Redford claimed he saw an arsenal of weapons at the man's home, which included an AK47 semi-automatic rifle and two machine guns.

Redford, a father of five, claimed he informed a retired police contact and an MI5 agent about the weapons - but his claims were not treated seriously.

Eventually he says he contacted John Stalker, calling at his house to pass on the information.

Proceeding