A YORK coach driver asked a man to kill the husband of a woman he claimed was his lover, a jury was told today.

Anthony Joseph Ferrant told Martin Blythe he wanted Paul Logan to be "no more".

In a telephone conversation taped by police, he told Mr Blythe he wanted a "six foot jobbie", said David Hall, prosecuting. Bradford Crown Court was told Ferrant offered to write off the remaining £2,000 of a £4,000 loan he had given to Mr Blythe if he carried out the killing.

Ferrant, 49, of Gale Lane, Acomb, has denied soliciting Mr Blythe to commit murder. Mr Hall said Ferrant had known Mr Blythe, a Harrogate tattoo studio owner, for up to 15 years.

They had both worked as doormen at clubs in Harrogate at one time.

"In the past Mr Ferrant had loaned Mr Blythe £4,000, and Mr Blythe used it to set up a tattoo studio in Harrogate.

"In April, Mr Blythe still owed Mr Ferrant about £2,000."

On April 7, the pair went from the tattoo studio to the Morrisons store in Harrogate where, in the caf, he told Mr Blythe he had been having an affair with Mr Logan's wife, Annette, and wanted Mr Logan "finished off."

"He said he wanted him killed," said Mr Hall.

"If he did that he would release Mr Blythe from the money he owed him.

"He gave a photograph of Mr Logan to Mr Blythe. Mr Blythe went to police the same day and an investigation began."

Days later, Mr Blythe received a letter from Ferrant giving details of Mr Logan's address, his car, where he drank and when he was on his own during the day.

Mr Blythe subsequently telephoned Ferrant from a police station, with officers recording the conversation.

He asked Ferrant if he "was sure".

Ferrant replied: "5,000 per cent."

Mr Hall said that when Ferrant was interviewed by police, he claimed Mr Blythe had got "the wrong end of the stick" and he continued to maintain this subsequently. He said he had not wanted Mr Logan killed, but wanted the frighteners put on him so that he would move away.

Mr Blythe told the jury he had been "stunned" when Ferrant had spoken to him in Morrisons caf.

"It's not something you would discuss over a sausage roll in Morrisons."

He said Ferrant had said that he had being having an affair with "this lady", and she had been getting abuse from her partner.

He had thought at first Ferrant had wanted him to "have a word with this gentleman", or give him a physical slap.

But he then realised he was serious.

"He said he wanted him killing. He wanted it finalising," he said.

"I was a bit stunned. I went home. I told my wife. I went to the police station."

The trial continues.

Updated: 08:33 Tuesday, October 18, 2005