THE WIFE and stepdaughter of businessman Charles Butler arranged his killing for �5,000, the Old Bailey heard last week. Mr Butler, 50, had installed new CCTV cameras, which captured his shooting, the day he was murdered outside his home. The father-of-tw

THE WIFE and stepdaughter of businessman Charles Butler arranged his killing for �5,000, the Old Bailey heard last week.

Mr Butler, 50, had installed new CCTV cameras, which captured his shooting, the day he was murdered outside his home.

The father-of-two, from Green Lane, Dagenham, was revived at the scene but spent nine months in a coma before he died.

Douglas Johnson, 29, was the gunman while accomplice David Austin, 42, drove him to and from the murder scene in a red Mazda, it is claimed.

The court heard they had been hired by Mr Butler's wife Yvonne and his stepdaughter Marcia amid allegations that Mr Butler was 'a nonce,' or paedophile.

Mr Butler was a small-time crook with a number of enemies.

But Mark Dennis QC said: "In the end it would appear the source for setting up the murder may lie closer to home."

The gunmen had been outside Mr Butler's home for over three hours in a red Mazda waiting for him to come home on the night of October 13, 2004, the court heard.

The gunman then approached Mr Butler and shot him in the neck as he tried to flee.

Police were called to domestic incident between Mr Butler and his wife in 2004 and the court heard she wanted a divorce.

Austin's brother Peter Austin was approached by Mr Butler's step-daughter some months before the killing.

She was the girlfriend of their brother Ricky Austin.

"Marcia asked him whether he knew anyone who could shoot her father, meaning Charles Butler, adding her mother Yvonne was going to put up the money for the shooting."

Mr Austin told her they were asking the wrong man.

After the murder he watched a reconstruction of the shooting and saw the description of the getaway car and a partial number plate.

When he saw his brother on remand David Austin admitted his part in the murder, it is claimed

Johnson also confessed he was the gunman to his brother's former partner.

Mr Dennis said one witness was told Mr Butler was murdered because he was 'a nonce.'

Austin also confessed to 'more than one person' that he was the getaway driver and he had agreed to split �5,000 with Johnson.

Austin, of Dunley Drive, New Addington, Surrey, and Johnson, of Witley Crescent, New Addington, both deny murder.

Johnson also denies conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.