Evidence over in trial of US woman accused of taking part in murder conspiracy

Jurors trying a US citizen accused of involvement in a murder plot in the UK have been told they are likely to retire to consider their verdicts next week.

Evidence in the trial of Aimee Betro, who denies conspiracy to murder in relation to a plot to kill a rival of her UK-based partner, came to an end on Friday at Birmingham Crown Court.

Prosecutors allege Betro, who is originally from West Allis in Wisconsin but was living in Armenia until earlier this year, flew to Britain in August 2019 to take part in a plot orchestrated by co-conspirators Mohammed Aslam, 56, and his son Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 31, to attack a rival family.

The Crown also claim the 45-year-old graduate hid her face using a niqab when she got out of a Mercedes and tried to shoot Sikander Ali outside his home in Measham Grove, Yardley, Birmingham.

The attempted shooting took place shortly after 8pm on September 7 2019, the court has heard, but the handgun jammed, allowing Mr Ali to flee in his car.

Betro is also alleged to have returned to Measham Grove in a taxi around five hours later and to have fired three rounds at the windows of the intended victim’s property.

She suggested to jurors earlier this week that the perpetrator was “another American woman” who sounded similar to her, used the same phone and wore the same sort of trainers.

Betro also told jurors that it was “all just a terrible coincidence” that she was around the corner from the scene of the attempted assassination six minutes later.

Addressing the court briefly on Friday, trial judge Simon Drew KC answered a jury note querying why a forensic voice comparison had not been conducted during the investigation, with Betro denying that it was her voice captured on recordings of calls made to a taxi company.

Judge Drew instructed the jury not to speculate as to why no forensic comparisons had been made, telling the panel: “You decide the case according to the evidence.

“It’s a matter for the parties as to what evidence they put before you.”

The judge added: “That then is all the evidence you are going to hear in this case.

“We will have speeches from counsel on Monday morning. Then I will sum up the case. My hope is that you will be retiring to consider your verdicts on Tuesday.”

The defendant also denies possessing a self-loading pistol and a charge of fraudulently evading the prohibition on importing ammunition.