A crucial witness in the New Year's Day murder trial was paid 'thousands' in police payments to help protect him after he agreed to testify against the alleged gangland killers. Convicted robber Mark Brown, giving evidence under a false name at Leicester Crown Court, admitted he had received money to help rebuild his life after being placed on the Criminal Justice Protection programme. Last week the jury heard from Brown, who gave his evidence behind a curtain and in a disguised voice. The public gallery was cleared and not even the defendants' legal teams know his true identity. Brown is the only prosecution witness who has named three of the five defendants as being the killers of teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare. He has also told police that three more people were shot at during the New Year's Day party at Uniseven hair salon on Birch-field Road, Aston, Birmingham, but they did not report the matter. The court heard how police were alerted to Brown while he was in prison awaiting sentence in 2003. Prison officers told police that Brown had told them he had been at Uniseven and knew the killers' identities. Under cross-examination by Nigel Rumfitt QC, representing defendant Marcus Ellis, Brown denied making up his testimony to get better priviliges in jail. Mr Rumfitt said: "You thought that by telling the prison officers lies you would get moved to another prison and get other favours. "You knew the police were desperate to find somebody who was prepared to name names." Attacking Brown's credibility as a prosecution witness, Mr Rumfitt added: "The truth is you are a hoodlum, a crook, a gangster criminal who has found a way to get the prison authorities and police to bend over backwards for you. "And despite all that you get the privilege of giving your evidence anonymously. "The fact is you have got police protection which makes it difficult for you to back out now." Mr Rumfitt then proceeded to detail a list of police payments made to Brown since his release from prison in 2004. He said: "As far as you are concerned, Mr Brown, the Criminal Justice Protection Programme is a money-making machine." He said the payments made included: £102.98 clothing allowance £24.20 for toiletries £6.57 underwear £49.99 for a mobile phone with £10 worth of credits £50 living expenses £300 deposit on a new flat followed by a cheque for £3175 for six months rent £585.20 hotel accommodation £183 new bed £10 further credits for mobile phone Mr Rumfitt inquired: "You had never come out of prison to a reception like this before' had you Mr Brown?" Mr Brown told the court he had a clear view of defendants Marcus Ellis, Nathan Martin and Tafawa Beckford as they drove up towards Uniseven. He said he had his back turned when the shooting began but claims to know where the gunmen later hid the firearms including the MAC 10 machine pistol. Earlier in the week the jury heard from Charlene's twin sister Sophia, now 20, who was also shot in the attack which claimed her sister and friend Letisha's life. Speaking in hushed tones Ms Ellis, who along with her sister Charlene and cousin Cheryl Shaw formed a group called the Bombshell Ladies, labelled the two gangs alleged to be behind the shootings as 'terrorists.' She said she had little recall of what happened after the shots were fired but she remembered people calling out her name as she lay on the ground. Ms Ellis said she remembered seeing Jer-maine Carty, known as Wooligan, at RB's nightspot in Solihull, where it is alleged he took the stage to insult members of the Burger Bar gang. His barrister Malcolm Bishop QC claims the lyrics were 'innocent light-hearted lyrics' and in an effort to prove the point he produced a recording of the Bombshell Ladies performing on Midland pirate radio station Serious FM in 2002. The lyrics included the verses: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, your gal, if you want to fight me look at the door, left your daughter lying on the floor with a broken jaw, you can't get with mini mini me, bash you out the window, kick you in the crutches then butt you in the face, yeah big up all the crews." Giving evidence Cheryl Shaw, who also survived the attack, listened intently before telling the jury: "They were just words, we wouldn't commit those things, not at all. "We never meant the lyrics, it was just fun and we didn't mean anything by it at all." Marcus Ellis, 24, of Devonshire Avenue, Winson Green; Micheal Gregory, 23, of Ryland Steet, Ladywood; Nathan Martin, 26, of South Road, Smethwick; Rodrigo Simms, 20, of Whitehouse Drive, Smethwick and Tafawa Beckford, 22, of Duchess Road, Ladywood, all deny two counts of murder and three of attempted murder. Jermaine Carty, 24, of Chain Walk, Lozells, denies two counts of possessing a firearm on the night of the shooting. The trial, expected to finish some time in late March, continues. | 
