A MAN was shot on his doorstep in a row over a stolen mobile phone and £30, days after rejecting the sexual advances of his bisexual friend at the start of a carp fishing trip, a jury heard.

Three men are accused of arriving at a house and a “homemade gun” fired in a row over a mobile phone and £30.

Giving evidence at Reading Crown Court yesterday, victim Jonathan Knight spoke about the events leading up to the moment he was shot at the home in Swancote Green, Easthampstead, on May 10.

He spoke about how he was a friend of one of the defendants, Michael Crook, 64, as he was the former lodger of Mr Knight's ex-girlfriend and had last seen him on May 7 as the pair were planning a fishing trip together the following day to Holme Grange Fishery in Wokingham. 

Crook had come to pick him up from Bracknell town centre where Mr Knight had been playing roulette at a bookies and Crook had then driven Mr Knight to his father's house to borrow some money, but he wasn't home, so Mr Knight had borrowed the money from Crook and was also using his phone.

He admitted to the court the money was to buy cannabis to smoke while fishing.

They stopped off at the house in Swancote Green, so Mr Knight could collect his toothbrush and other belongings for their trip while Crook stayed in the car, but Mr Knight failed to come back outside.

Mr Knight said: "I was getting upset at his company so I was in two minds about whether to come out and go fishing or whether to stay at home.

"He was becoming sexual and flirting with me and I'm not like that. It made me uncomfortable.

"He was being a pervert and trying it on with me and I'm straight so it upset me."

The following day he received a "threatening" message from Crook demanding he give his phone back or Crook would "send his traveller friends round to cut his fingers off".

However, Lawrence Henderson, defending Crook said: "You say he threatened you, but so far as any threat, I suggest that is completely true."

He argued that Crook had ended the text with 'LOL', (laugh out loud), but Mr Knight said if he had, he "wouldn't have been threatened by it" and "would have taken it as a joke". 

He said: "I am very sorry for stealing his phone, I was being a bit naughty I guess." 

But when asked whether he planned to say sorry to Crook for stealing his phone or give him the £30 back, Mr Knight said: "Well after he got me shot, no" to which Judge Stephen John told Mr Henderson he had "asked for that".

Speaking from behind a screen, Mr Knight told the court that when he opened the door on May 10 he 'saw Scott Kennedy with a guy I didn't recognise'.

He added: “I looked to the guy that I didn't recognise then I noticed the gun in his hand at his waist height.

“All I saw was a white barrel and instantly knew what it looked like and I got shot.

“The angle of the gun was pointing towards me and the bullet struck me in the chest.

“I doubled over and slammed the door as quickly as I could and shouted out to my friend Becky, who was in the house to get an ambulance.”

The court heard he had told police the gunshot "felt like a forceful punch" against his chest, like someone had "fired a beanbag round" at him. 

He said he couldn't remember if anything had been said as "it all happened very quickly" but Edward Butler, defending Mr Kennedy, claimed Connor had yelled "have that you c***" before shooting him.

Tristan Chaize, defending the gunman Connor, argued that when Mr Knight answered the door, he said "The phone's gone, so f*** you" but Mr Knight denied this.

Robert Connor, 37, Scott Kennedy, 29 and Michael Crook are accused of attempting to murder Mr Knight on May 10 this year.

Connor, of Victoria Avenue, Camberley, and Kennedy and Crook, both of Sturdee Close, Frimley, deny the charge of attempted murder as well as wounding with intent.

Connor has already admitted a single count of wounding and possession of a firearm.   

Kennedy and Crook both deny wounding and possession of a firearm.

The trial continues.