A FATHER shot and killed a man then used ‘emotional blackmail’ to try to convince his son to take the blame, a court heard.

Matthew Moseley, 50, allegedly fired the fatal shot at Lee Holt, outside his house in Barnard Close, Oswaldtwistle, on October 25.

The court heard how Moseley, who had a ‘keen interest in firearms’, used a left-handed Beretta 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun to shoot Mr Holt, 32, in the chest.

Robert O’Sullivan QC, prosecuting, said Moseley’s 14-year-old son, Thomas, had been asked to take the blame as he was a minor and he put ‘emotional pressure’ on his son to take the blame.

The court heard how Mr Holt, his partner Kate Phelan, her 14-year-old son Wesley Metcalfe and a friend went to Moseley’s house at 8.25pm on October 25.

This followed a continuing dispute, which started in May 2016 after a row flared on social media with the suggestion that Wesley and Thomas meet for a fight.

The prosecution claims Moseley senior opened his front door and fired a single shot at Mr Holt, who died in hospital from a wound to the chest.

Mr O’Sullivan said in a witness statement Thomas said he had been passed the gun by his father after the shot was fired, and the boy tried to unload two remaining cartridges.

Mr O’Sullivan said: “The prosecution say from that point onwards Matthew Moseley has falsely blamed his son, Thomas, for the shooting.

“It is the prosecution case that Matthew Moseley, from the outset, has sought to manipulate his son into accepting responsibility for the shooting and the death of Lee Holt.

“Thomas initially did just that, out of what you may think was loyalty and love for his father.

“Indeed, he was arrested and interviewed by police on suspicion of the murder of Lee Holt, before the truth came out.”

Mr O’Sullivan said Ms Phelan and Mr Holt had become “angry and agitated” before they set off for the Moseley home and were seen shouting outside the house and banging on windows.

He said: “From the top of the stairs, Thomas saw his father bend down on one knee, open a gun cabinet and he ran down stairs.

“He then saw his father take out the shotgun and load three cartridges. He asked what he was doing. Thomas called 999.

“While making the call to the police Thomas said he handed the phone to his mother and returned to the hallway.

“He saw Mr Moseley open the front door. Thomas said Lee Holt shoved his father who put the gun to his left shoulder and fired a cartridge.

“The defendant, Matthew Mosley, said Thomas handed him the gun and said, ‘Here’.”

The court heard Moseley had been treated as a witness after his son told police he had fired the gun.

On Friday, October 27, both father and son were taken to the magistrates court in a police van as detectives applied for further time to question them, the court heard. Covert recording by officers was operating in the van.

Mr O’Sullivan said Moseley’s voice was lowered to a whisper so he could not be overheard.

He said: “He can be heard telling Thomas he could not go to jail. He was putting emotional pressure on his son to take the blame, saying, ‘Self defence for you. You did not know what you were doing’.

“Thomas was tremendously upset. He said he wanted to go home.

“He said, ‘Dad, please just tell them so I can go home’.”

When Thomas’ story changed, officers challenged Moseley who was charged with murder on October 30.

While in custody on November 1, Moseley called his wife, Julia.

Mr Sullivan said: “He said, ‘I weren’t even aiming. I picked it up and it just, bang’.”

“Is that an admission to his wife that he had fired the shotgun? Was it the truth being revealed in an unguarded moment?”

On Thursday, February 2, in a phone call from prison the defendant was heard saying to his son he would ‘never see him’ and he would ‘never, ever get out’.

Within the phone call, Moseley said: “That’s what they are going for which means I will never see you again because they coerced you into changing your statement.”

Mr O’Sullivan said: “The police did not coerce Thomas into anything.

“Whatever prison sentence he thought he might receive is irrelevant, you may think, as to the issue of who fired the shotgun.

“The prosecution say in that call Matthew Moseley was trying to manipulate his son, deploying what can only be called emotional blackmail, in order for his son to take the blame for the death of Lee Holt.”

Moseley denies a single count of murder.

The trial is set to continue for three weeks.