A MAN denied being the 'spotter' for the gangland executioner of an underworld 'Mr Big' and a mob fixer during a 'war' on a city's streets, a court heard.

Steven Boyle, 35, told police he had nothing to do with the murders three years apart of Paul Massey, 55, from Salford and his friend, John Kinsella, 53, from Liverpool - both 'notorious' criminals.

Boyle is accused of helping to track the victims to enable his co-accused, Orford man Mark Fellows, 38, to shoot them dead in 'stone cold murder'.

Both Mr Massey and Mr Kinsella, who Liverpool Crown Court heard were serious criminals, were murdered during a deadly feud between gangs in Salford.

Mr Massey was sprayed with bullets from a machine gun in July, 2015, outside his home in Salford, three years before Mr Kinsella was shot down then blasted in the head twice from close range as he walked his dogs near the Rainhill roundabout in May this year.

They were associated with a gang known as the A Team, led by a man called Stephen Britton.

Boyle and Fellows were part of the rival gang led by a man called Michael Carroll, it is alleged.

Their trial, now in its fourth week, heard Boyle's interview with police after his arrest in June and firstly questioned over the murder of Massey.

Det Con Johnathan Frankell, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) asked the defendant: "You are aware there's a war going on in Salford.

"We are trying to establish why Paul Massey was killed. People are saying this is about revenge."

Boyle told the officer: "I tried to keep myself out of all these gangs as much as I possibly can. I live in the middle of the estate. I'm not part of none of these gangs."

Two weeks after Mr Massey was murdered, Fellows was himself shot at outside his Salford home, but Boyle told the officer he did not speak to his co-accused following the incident.

But the officer said phone records showed the number associated with Fellows was the 'top caller' to his own phone and Boyle replied he 'possibly' did speak to him.

During the police interview, Boyle was shown CCTV showing his white Vauxhall Insignia car passing a pub 17 seconds behind Massey's silver BMW as he drove home, just seven minutes before he was blasted with an Uzi machine gun on the evening of July 26, 2015.

Boyle responded: "Let's not put it like I'm tailing him."

The officer continued: "Were you following Paul Massey on that day? I'm not saying you were the one who pulled the trigger. Were you acting as a look out?"

Boyle replied: "No I was not. I'm telling you 100 million per cent I have nothing to do with this murder."

Fellows, of Warrington, and Boyle, from Heywood, Greater Manchester, both deny the murders and the attempted murder of Wendy Owen, Mr Kinsella's partner.

The trial was adjourned until tomorrow morning.