A man accused of shooting a businessman told police he was innocent of the murder, a jury heard.

Ken Harvey, 44, who lived at Broad Oak, near Hastings, was gunned down in a quiet country lane two years ago.

Jason Bradley, 37, and Colin Meek, 35, have both denied murder at a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

The jury heard Bradley, of Claygate Crescent, Croydon, declined to answer questions when he was interviewed by police about the killing but he did provide detectives with a prepared statement in which he maintained his innocence.

In the statement he said: "I did not murder him. I was not present at the scene.

"I know nothing of the murder."

He admitted becoming friends with Meek after the pair met in prison in 2001.

He also admitted visiting Hastings but claimed it was only to accompany his son on hockey tournaments and to visit Meek when he was staying at his girlfriend's home in Charles Road, St Leonards.

Meek, of Sanderson Road, Leyton, London, was first arrested three months after the murder when armed police stopped him as he left his mother's house in London on a high-powered motorbike.

He was released and re-arrested twice more before being charged with murder in February this year.

During all interviews with detectives he refused to answer any questions.

Mr Harvey, who ran a courier firm, was shot five times as he sat behind the wheel of his silver Mercedes at a crossroads at Cripps Corner, near Battle, in the early morning of August 18, 2003.

The two killers were riding a stolen Kawasaki motorbike with the false number plate VILON.

The jury has heard the police believe Mr Harvey, a father of four, was the victim of a contract killing because of links to drug trafficking.

He was on bail charged with importing cocaine worth £500,000 at the time of his death.

His co-defendant, George Taylor, who blamed Mr Harvey for the smuggled drugs, was later jailed for 20 years.

The trial continues.