Becky Watts trial: Ireland thought he was moving items from a 'robbery'
Another housemate of James Ireland said he had a conversation with the accused in a pub, where he recounted what had happened.
Richard Whitton told the court Ireland believed he was moving items to do with a robbery, and thought he was getting around £5,000 for helping.
He said his friend just wanted some stuff moved, something to do with a robbery and they wanted some stuff moved.
He presumed it was a robbery because whoever it was thougt they were going to get raided.
It thought it was odd because you wouldn't get told if you were going to get raided. I thought it was a load of rubbish.
– RICHARD WHITTON
Mr Whitton told the court Ireland had said he had got into the work van and driven down to Barton Hill, where he "moved the stuff".
He just said it was from a robbery, he presumed it was worth about £20,000 and he was going to be getting £5,000 for it.
He had been told to just get rid of it.
– RICHARD WHITTON
But, Mr Whitton said, once he had handled the packages his opinion changed to thinking he may be moving drugs.
He said at one point Ireland gestured with his hands as to how big the packages had been, holding his hands about a foot apart.
He said the packages were soft, and we discussed it wouldn't be electrical stuff if they were soft. That's when the conversation turned to drugs.
He said they were tightly packaged.
– RICHARD WHITTON
Under cross examination Mr Whitton conceded that during the conversation, at the Miles public house, in Avonmouth, he believed it was "typical Jamie telling one of his stories" in an attempt "to impress" him.
He said he had been skeptical, and the conversation seemed "unreal" to him.