Rothwell’s statement continued: “I rang Watkins and told him my advice, but he replied and said ‘no I think I’ll be OK.'”
The officer said following the conversation, he told staff of his concerns and to do “extra patrols and extra checks”.
The prosecutor then read out the two letters Watkins received, with one saying: “Ian, you’ve got until Saturday to pay for my hi-fi, lamp and fan.
“If you don’t pay by then, I promise you, I will get your head cracked open, you snitch.
“Give a number so my boy can message your people to get my bank details to put in £500.
“If it’s not done by Saturday, you will see what will happen to you… This is your last chance.”
The court heard that the second note contained similar content, with the message beginning: “You snitch, you got me kicked off the wing.
“You think you got away with it. You got my hi-fi, fan and lamp took away from me, so you owe me a hi-fi, fan and lamp.”
