A gang member who was shot dead outside his home in Leeds was a 'relentless' drug dealer, a murder jury heard.
Christopher Lewis was one of around 50 males in a Chapeltown-based gang called 'The Flock', Leeds Crown Court heard.
The 24-year-old, whose nickname was Diesel, had multiple convictions for dealing Class A drugs.
Three men are on trial accused of murdering Mr Lewis while another three men are accused of assisting two of the murder-accused.
The prosecution allege that the killing was vengeance for an axe attack on boxer and drug dealer Denzil Browne (Junior).
This morning (Tuesday), PC Edward Crompton said Mr Lewis was known to police for drug dealing since the age of 15.
He said Lewis kept getting police bail due to his age and was a 'relentless drug dealer' until his first custodial sentence.
He said there was evidence to suggest Mr Lewis was a member of The Flock even after his release from custody, meaning he was a member of the gang for nine years up until his death at the age of 24.
PC Crompton currently works for the multi-force Yorkshire & Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, but previously worked for West Yorkshire Police in the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Chapeltown and in the Leeds District Serious and Organised Crime Unit.
The prosecution allege that Steven Grey was the hitman who shot Mr Lewis while Jonathan Gledhill was 'the spotter' and Browne (Junior)'s dad Denzil Brown (Senior) was the getaway driver.
Browne (Junior) and Grey and their co-accused Lewis Pearce and Owen Clarke have convictions for dealing Class A drugs.
Grey also has multiple firearms convictions.
Brown (Senior) has no convictions, cautions, warnings or reprimands recorded against him.
The jury was shown a photo of Browne (Junior) posing in a photo with Jaydn Manners aka J-Man, who murdered Raheem Wilks - another member of The Flock who was shot dead in Chapeltown.
The court was also shown video footage of four of the defendants with another drug dealer called L'mel Harding in Oracle nightclub in Leeds city centre on July 29, 2018. In it, females held up letters saying 'J-Man' while a man shouted: "Free J-Man".
PC Crompton said another video of Pearce shouting at another drug dealer called Michael Ojengbede suggests Ojengbede was affiliated with the gang and Pearce was accusing one of its member of co-operating with the police in order to get Mr Wilks' murderers convicted.
The court heard a note found in Pearce's phone referred to 'plastic gangsters living a fake lifestyle in Leeds' while pretending to be 'shifting weight' and 'swimming in' money.
The court was shown a Snapchat photo of Pearce and Clarke together captioned 'gang!' and a selfie of Pearce holding a wad of bank notes beside his ear.
PC Crompton said the latter pose is known as 'money phone' which suggests the person is making a lot of money off their phone.
He said Clarke has previously been convicted for operating a ring-and-bring line with another drug dealer called L'mel Harding in Harehills.
Mr Lewis was shot in the arm and head outside his home on Reginald Street in Chapeltown on August 1, 2018.
Gledhill’s barrister Richard Barraclough QC asked if the killings of Mr Wilks and Mr Lewis in Chapeltown resembled Chicago in the 1920s and 1930s 'where people are just shot in the street'.
PC Crompton replied: "It has happened."
Gledhill, 37, of Dib Lane, Roundhay, Brown (Senior), 49, of Park Field Court, Morley, and Grey, 38, of Town Street, Armley, deny murder .
Pearce, 26, previously of Sholebroke Street, Chapeltown, Brown's son Browne (Junior), 24, of Oaklands Crescent, Gipton, and Clarke, 27, of Haw Avenue, Yeadon, deny assisting an offender .
The trial, which is expected to last five weeks, continues.
LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp group to keep you up to date with the latest news! Click here to join and follow the instructions on your phone. Your number won't be shared with anyone else in the group.
