A MURDER accused said that he and his co-defendants were old friends who went to one's wedding, a court heard.

A trial at Winchester Crown Court was told that Corin Barlow, one of five men who are accused of being involved in the killing of Gurinderjit Rai, found dead on Shepherds Farm Lane, in Corhampton, on July 13, 2019, was friends with his co-defendants.

Following his arrest Barlow told police that co-defendant Aston Hannis was his “best mate”, saying that he was “his best man at his wedding. I’ve known him for decades”.

In interview on August 20, 2019, Barlow was asked when the last time was he saw Hannis, replying: “I probably saw him two weeks before that date” – referring to the night of the alleged murder – July 12.

He later said that he visited Hannis in prison following his arrest as part of the murder investigation and for refusing to provide police with the PIN number for his phone.

Barlow was also asked whether he knew co-defendant Charlie Statham and said: “I have known him for years. He is just a local bloke from the area – everyone likes Charlie.

“I ain’t seen Charlie for a long time,” before saying that he had last seen Statham at Hannis’ wedding.

The 41-year-old said that he also knew Paul White, but had “not seen him for a long time”, since Hannis’ wedding, and had first known White as his ex-girlfriend and been friends with White's girlfriend.

Barlow was asked about Hannis’ dad Mark, who had earlier in the trial been called “a pirate”, and when was the last time he had seen him.

He said: “Only when we went to Prague, we went to Prague for his (Hannis) stag do,” before going on to say "it would have been at the wedding.”

But police showed Barlow evidence that he and Mr Hannis had met just two days after his son’s arrest on July 16.

Barlow said: “It wasn’t really a meeting, it was just, he was around the area. He happened to be flying down here and asked me if I wanted to meet up for a coffee.

“Just met up with him, just spoke about what was going on. I asked him if he had heard anything.”

He continued: “He wanted to see me. Obviously, his son (Hannis) being put in jail for this flipping phone thing. I wanted to speak to him, he wanted to speak to me, so we just met up.”

The jury was also told that on the night of the alleged murder Aston, White and Statham visited co-defendant Philip Hodan’s home in Longwood Dean Lane, Owslebury.

In interview Hodan said that they arrived at his home at around 10.30pm on July 12, the night of the alleged murder, adding: “everything was normal”.

The court heard that Hodan had been watching the boxing, and the trio only stayed for around an hour.

Previously covert recordings were shown to the court of Statham and Hannis in a police van discussing the watching the Fury fight together, which the prosecution say was the pair arranging their alibis.

Hannis, 29, of Leah Gardens, Eastleigh; Statham, 30, of Crescent Close, Oliver's Battery; Barlow, from Horley, Surrey; White, 27, of Dyson Drive, Abbotts Barton, all deny murder.

Hodan, 43, denies participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group.

The trial continues.