THE jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering Westhoughton dad Michael Blake has retired to consider its verdict.

Nathan Daniels, aged 28, of Nottingham Avenue, Stockport, is on trial at Manchester Crown Court over the death of 28-year-old Mr Blake.

The jury of five women and seven men retired to consider its verdict at around 2pm yesterday and was sent home for the day at around 4.15pm.

They will return to continue their deliberations today.

During the trial the court heard how, on the evening of November 3, Daniels drove a van, accompanied by Nathan Quigley and Joe Wilson, to Mr Blake’s home in Manchester Road, Westhoughton and took him to an isolated area in nearby Long Lane.

He was shot in the back of the head and in the knee.

Daniels told the court that Mr Blake was killed when a handgun went off during a violent struggle in the back of a van, initially claiming the bullets must have ricochetted before hitting the victim.

But both prosecution and defence experts agreed that the gun had been fired at close range, with the muzzle of the weapon either touching Mr Blake’s clothing or being within 10mm of it.

Mr Blake’s body was then dumped back outside his home and an ambulance was called but he died the following day in hospital.

The prosecution claim that Mr Blake was killed in a dispute over ‘drugs or money or both’.

The court was told how items including a protective vest, a ‘substantial quantity of cocaine’ and a machete were found in Mr Blake’s home and car.

His partner of six years, Lauren Sydall, said in a statement she gave to police in December last year, that she was not aware of him being involved in any criminality but admitted‘you don’t get shot for nothing’.

When she was quizzed in court about his secretive nature and asked if she ever felt he was leading a ‘double life’, Miss Sydall said ‘not to the best of my knowledge’.

Daniels, a married father-of two, is defending himself in court.

Four men have already admitted their involvement in Mr Blake’s killing.

Joe Wilson, aged 27, of Romney Way, Stockport and Nathan Quigley, aged 32, of Cleworth Walk, Hulme, have both pleaded guilty to manslaughter while Brendan Fallon, aged 35, of Whitsbury Avenue, Gorton and John Edwards, aged 46 and of Farley Way, Reddish, Stockport have both admitted assisting an offender.

The trial continues.