Drug dealer who laughed and asked Barnsley burglar if he wanted an aspirin after shooting is jailed for murder
The killer kept a gun at the side of his bed
A drug dealer who laughed and asked a Barnsley burglar if he “wanted an aspirin” after he shot him has been jailed.
Adrian Frost, aged 61, shot 26-year-old Connor Batty when Connor and two friends broke into his home ine Hemsworth, near Wakefield, West Yorksshire, on September 11 last year.
A court heard that after the shooting Frost sent a message to his brother telling him Connor was “dead as a post” and took photos of his body.
He was also recorded on his home CCTV making a phone call to his brother in the immediate aftermath and at one point during the call was heard laughing and commenting “do you want an aspirin mate?” as Connor lay dying.
Frost denied murdering Connor, claiming he had acted in self-defence and went on trial at Leeds Crown Court.
On July 8 he was found guilty.
The court heard Connor and two friends had been armed with a pistol, baseball bat, and shears when they broke into Frost’s home looking to steal his cannabis crop.
A neighbour had called police at 9.36pm reporting men trying to break into the house before Frost called 999 shortly afterwards to say he had shot someone trying to get into his home.
Frost was initially charged over the sawn-off shotgun and cannabis production and was remanded in custody before later being charged with murder and other drug and weapons offences.
He has now been convicted of Batty’s murder, following a Leeds Crown Court trial.
Armed officers attended the scene and found Batty lying unconscious outside Batty’s home.
Despite attempts to revive him, he was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later.
CCTV enquiries and witness accounts showed Batty and two accomplices had arrived at the address in a van and were initially scared away by Frost’s rottweiler dogs before returning and confronting him at the rear of the property and making demands.
Frost retreated inside and locked the door before going upstairs to his bedroom and loading a double-barrelled shotgun he kept down the side of his bed.
The back door was kicked open by Batty who passed through the kitchen and dining room into the hallway, where he was then shot by Frost from above through the stair bannisters at a distance of less than 1.4 metres.
In police interviews, Frost told officers he had slipped and the shotgun had been discharged accidentally, but at court he admitted lying about this and claimed he had been terrified and acted in self-defence.
Batty stumbled out of the address and collapsed. His accomplices tried to pull him over the garden wall but then fled leaving him behind.
When officers attended the scene, they found the imitation pistol next to Batty’s body. It was later confirmed to be a ball bearing gun.
The sawn-off shotgun Frost had used was found in the kitchen.
When officers searched the address they found an array of other weapons throughout the house, including an illegal high-powered air rifle, a samurai sword, machetes, knuckle dusters and incapacitant spray, which is classed as a prohibited weapon under firearms law.
They also found a sophisticated cannabis growing set-up on the top floor.
Speaking after Frost was found guilty, Senior Investigating Officer, Temporary Detective Superintendent with West Yorkshire Police Matt Holdsworth said: “Although Connor Batty was committing an aggravated burglary targeting Frost’s cannabis growing set-up and illicit wealth and would have received a similar custodial sentence to his associates had he survived, he did not deserve to lose his life.
“Frost made no attempt to contact the police when he retreated inside his home and chose to arm himself with a gun and lay in wait before using a level of force that was grossly disproportionate.
“This is not a case of an ordinary member of the public defending his home in the heat of the moment using force that is disproportionate. The law caters for these circumstances.
“He was a drug dealer who had an illegally held sawn-off shotgun and ammunition immediately to hand to defend his criminal enterprise. He used deadly force without justification, and it is right that he has been prosecuted and held responsible for killing Connor Batty.
“The jury has given full consideration to the circumstances and has found him guilty of murder.
“Connor’s family are innocent parties in this tragic situation, and our thoughts are with them as they continue to come to terms with their loss.”
Frost pleaded guilty to possession of the sawn-off shotgun, production of cannabis, supplying cannabis, possession of incapacitant spray and abstraction of electricity prior to the trial beginning.
Three Barnsley men have also been sentenced for their role in the events that night.
Lewis Bromley, 26, of Rose Avenue, Darfield, Barnsley and Dylan Kelly, 24, of Locksley Gardens, Birdwell, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, possession of an imitation firearm while committing burglary, and possession of an offensive weapon in relation to a pickaxe handle.
Bromley was sentenced to a total of four years and six months in prison and Kelly to four years and four months.
Connor Turner, 29, of Schofield Road, Darfield, Barnsley, pleaded guilty conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of an offensive weapon in relation to a pickaxe handle.
He was found not guilty of possession of an imitation firearm while committing burglary.
He was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment.