A gunman said to have been part of a plot to murder an accountant has given evidence peppered with Cockney rhyming slang.

Bernard Pillay told jurors at Luton Crown Court that rather than intending to kill Atif Ali he had set out to simply injure him by shooting him in the leg.

Pillay, of Campion Close, Uxbridge, told the court: “I said: ‘All this faffing about. Why don’t you just put one in his scotch’?”

Asked what scotch meant, he replied “Scotch egg - leg. It was a far more easier way than the complicated ways he was suggesting.”

Pillay, who once served 11 years’ jail for attacking two police officers with a knife, admits conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm but denies a charge of conspiracy to murder.

It is alleged that businessman Shahzad Mahroof wanted Mr Ali out of the way so he could make advances on his fiancee.

Pillay claims he heard on the grapevine Mahroof wanted someone hurt, and later discussed the plan with him during a boxing match at Bethnal Green’s York Hall in April last year.

Pillay, who said he was known for ‘little bits of violence’, headed to Luton on the morning of May 20, 2013, driven by Mark O’Neil, also 41, of Lansbury Drive, Hayes, in a stolen ford Mondeo.

Once there, they trailed Mr Ali’s silver Audi, deliberately collided with it ,and then when the accountant got out to inspect the damage, Pillay shot him in the left thigh. Surgeons later battled for seven hours to save the leg.

Pillay told the court: “This fella had a problem with a naughty little firm running round Luton – a gang of herberts.

“Part of this little ruffian firm needed hurting, and he wanted a hospital jobby”.

Pillay said there could be a ‘nice few quid’ in it for him, and explained: “We are talking thousands.”

But he insisted the agreement was only to hurt Mr Ali, 28, perhaps by breaking his legs by running him over or attacking him with a baseball bat.

“I was thinking that sort of stuff can get messy,” he went on.

He said shooting the man in the leg was a ‘quick efficient way of putting him in hospital.’

There were further discussions with Mr Mahroof about getting hold of a ‘jam jar’ (car) for the job.

“Without doubt we needed a motor,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want a car from our manor to be used in any skullduggery in that manor. We needed a stolen one from Luton.”

Pillay said he left it to a friend to source the weapon to be used.

“I left him to get the April – that was his department.”

Asked what April meant, he told the court it was short for: “April Fool - tool.”

Describing the moment of the attack, Pillay said: “I let the shotgun go in his leg.

“The leg was the intended target. It was a controlled shot. Then I made a hasty exit.

“He grabbed his leg and I think he shouted at me, and rightly so.”

Earlier, Mahroof had told the jury he believed Mr Ali had been organising a plan for him to be attacked.

He said he had no reason to want the accountant dead and told Pillay: “Do what you have to do as long as his leg is broken.”

Pillay, O’Neil, Mahroof, of Selbourne Road, Luton; Matthew McCafferty, 23, of Roman Way, Flitwick; Mahboob Baig, 31, of Overstone Road, Luton; and Sajed Hussain, 31, of Portland Road, Luton, all deny conspiring to murder Mr Ali.

McCafferty, Baig, O’Neil and Hussain also deny conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm to Mr Ali.

The jury has been told Mr Mahroof and Mr Pillay have pleaded guilty to this charge.

Mr Mahroof also denies making a threat to kill Mr Ali, and Mr McCafferty denies a charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, having a firearm with intent and possessing a prohibited firearm.

The case continues