'Ruthless' attack led to death; Killing 'a ruthless crime'.

Byline: Ross McCarthy

A MIDLAND subpostmaster's son who was shot dead as he tried to defend his parents during an armed raid was the victim of a "ruthless and determined" crime, a jury was told today.

Craig Hodson-Walker was killed by a Birmingham gang during the robbery at the post office and general store in Fairfield, Worcestershire, in January.

Opening the case at Birmingham Crown Court, prosecutor Timothy Raggatt QC said the 29-year-old was killed in "the plainest case of concerted and ferocious violence". He told the jury: "You will probably come to the conclusion, we suggest, this was not a randomcrime, this was a planned crime. "The crime was ruthlessly carried out and carried out with great determination." Anselm Ribera, 34, Adrian Snape, 25, Christopher Morrissey, 32, and his 33-yearold brother Declan Morrissey deny Hodson-Walker's murder and the attempted murder of his father, Ken Hodson-Walker, who was shot in the leg.

Snape, of Camelot Way, Small Heath; Christopher Morrissey, of Elmay Road, Sheldon; Declan Morrissey, of Shirley Park Road, Shirley, Solihull and Ribera, of Top- field House, Druids Heath, Birmingham, further deny possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Mr Raggatt QC said the four defendants worked as a team, trusted each other "implicitly" and had planned the January 9 robbery. But, he said, their attempt to steal money was "pointless" because the shop's safe, which contained pounds 20,000, had a time lock which prevented it from being opened until 9am - 40 minutes after three of the defendants burst in armed with a gun and a sledge hammer. (proceeding)