Courier killed in Deepcar laughing gas heist, court told

A delivery man was killed when he was run over by a panicked colleague during a gun-point robbery, a court has heard.

Nadeem Qureshi was hit by a reversing van as his co-worker attempted to flee a gang of armed men trying to steal a consignment of nitrous oxide in 2019.

It is alleged the men placed a fake order to the catering firm Mr Qureshi and his colleagues worked for to lure them to Deepcar, South Yorkshire.

The three defendants deny manslaughter, robbery and a firearms offence.

On Friday, Sheffield Crown Court heard the incident came just two weeks after Mr Qureshi's housemate, Kelvin Giles, claimed he had been kidnapped in a similar incident.

Outlining the case against the defendants - Arron Hartigan, 25, Jake Lakin, 22, and Callum Rutherford, 26 - the prosecution said Mr Qureshi had been working for a Bolton-based firm, delivering nitrous oxide canisters across the north of England.

The gas, usually used in the catering business to carbonate drinks or in whipped cream canisters, can also be used as a form of psychoactive drug, the court heard.

On 24 July 2019, Mr Qureshi, 40, from Manchester, had travelled with his colleague, Sean Wright, in a van driven by Massimo Rizzelli to Station Road, Deepcar.

At the drop-off site, a white 4x4 vehicle approached the men and a gunman in the vehicle ordered them to get out of their van, pointing a pistol towards them.

Mr Qureshi got out and was standing beside the van when Mr Rizzelli suddenly reversed the vehicle, hitting Mr Qureshi and causing him "catastrophic" injuries of which he would later die.

The court heard Mr Rizzelli drove away from the scene pursued by the armed gang, but they eventually gave up the chase.

Giving evidence Mr Giles told the jury how he too had been approached by armed men while working for the same firm.

He said he had been kidnapped for more than three hours and feared for his life while making a similar delivery of nitrous oxide in Salford, Greater Manchester.

He said he was tied up and had his van and its content stolen by five men armed with knives, a hatchet and a hammer.

Following the incident Mr Qureshi took over Mr Giles' deliveries, despite Mr Giles telling him "not to do it because it was too dangerous", he said.

"[I] just thought he was doing it for a bit of extra money. I said he was stupid for doing it after what happened to me," he told the court.

Mr Hartigan, of no fixed abode, Mr Lakin, of Smithy Moor Avenue, Stocksbridge, and Mr Rutherford, of Lee Avenue, Deepcar, all deny manslaughter, conspiracy to commit robbery and having an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The trial continues.

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