A police gang expert told a jury that a man accused of being involved in the murder of teenager Jason Lightbourne was a high-ranking member of the Parkside crew.

Sergeant Alex Rollin, a supervisor of the Police Gang Targeting Unit, told the Supreme Court yesterday that Prince Edness was “very high up” in the gang.

Mr Edness, 28, has denied the premeditated murder of Mr Lightbourne, who was shot dead while driving along Ord Road in the early hours of July 23, 2006.

Prosecutors have alleged the shooting was a retaliation attack, sparked by a stabbing that occurred that evening and fuelled by a rivalry between a Hamilton gang and a rival group in the Ord Road area.

Yesterday Sergeant Rollin told the jury that in July 2006 Parkside had a “beef” with the Ord Road Crew.

“When you attack another crew, it’s a sign of disrespect to that crew,” he said.

“When that happens, whatever takes place, one of the high-ups in the crew that was disrespected want revenge on that other group.

“It would not have to be against the one person, just any member of that crew. They would want that revenge to be carried out usually in some form of assault. It’s a case of ‘if you disrespect one of my ace boys, I am going to disrespect one of yours’ — plain and simple.”

The court heard that Mr Edness was arrested in the British Airways lounge at LF Wade International Airport on January 16 this year as he waited to board a flight for Britain.

When he was detained, he had a return ticket and was scheduled to fly back to Bermuda two weeks later.

The arresting officer, Detective Constable Windol Thorpe, said: “I invited him to the police station where I arrested him on suspicion of murder.

“I cautioned Mr Edness, asked him if he understood the caution and he said, ‘Completely’.”

Mr Edness is alleged to have worked with others, including Akil Williams, to carry out the fatal shooting of Mr Lightbourne in July 2006.

Last week the court heard from a witness who claimed Mr Williams confessed that he was the man who pulled the trigger in the attack.

She also told the jury that Mr Williams was brutally beaten with a metal weight three weeks after the shooting because he still had the firearm. Mr Williams was found dead the next day.

The case continues.

EDITOR’S NOTE: It is The Royal Gazette’s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding on-going court cases. This is to prevent any statements being published that may jeopardise the outcome of that case.