A MAN shot dead in a Southampton flat received a phone call from a murder suspect minutes before he was killed, a court heard.

Winchester Crown Court heard how mobile phone data collected by detectives found a call was made to Jahmel Jones by Jemmikai Orlebar-Forbes, who is one of three men charged with murdering the father-of-one, 15 minutes before he was shot in the head.

Records show the call lasted one minute and six seconds, which Julie Sargent, from Hampshire Constabulary, told jurors it would suggest Mr Jones answered the call.

It prompted Mr Jone - known as 'Lucky' - to send a message using the Blackberry messenger service to an unknown recipient, which read: “fam dem youts phoned my phone.”

Orlebar-Forbes, 20, of Cloudsdale Road, Balham, is charged with murdering Mr Jones along with Pierre Lewis, 20, of Castlenau, Barnes, and Isaac Boateng, 22, of Mill Farm Crescent, Hounslow, at 69 St Mary's Street on the morning of April 20.

All deny murder but have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Jurors were told a number of phone calls and text messages were made by the three accused as they travelled from Southampton to London and back to Southampton between 4pm on April 19 and 3.49am on April 20.

CCTV images capturing the three suspects in the St Mary's area of the city on April 20 were shown in the court room yesterday.

The clips included Lewis opening the door to the Coral bookmakers on St Mary's Street, which the prosecution suggested was him looking for Mr Jones.

Cameras also captured the three men walking past the Tesco Express store and the Ladbrookes bookmakers before heading in the direction of 69 St Mary's Street at around 10.41am.

The court heard how in the early hours of the day he was killed, Mr Jones sent messages to his friend Sade Thompson asking her to call acquaintances of his.

One asked her to call a man by the name of “Dogsy”, and later she was asked to contact another number asking the recipient to meet Mr Jones in St Mary's Street.

The court heard how she tried getting his attention on his Blackberry by using a method known as a “ping” at around 10.52am, and tried again at around 11.03am but didn't receive a response.

“Lucky had not told me about any argument that he was having, so what happened was a shock to me”, she added.

Orlebar-Forbes, Lewis, and Boateng, are on trial along with Rachel Kenehan, 35, of Hewlett Road, London, who denies conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, assisting an offender, and perverting the course of justice.

Proceeding.