A witness to a gun execution who was too scared to testify against the killer was today starting a three-month jail sentence.

Peter Fields, 47, was told those who deliberately disobeyed an order of the court would be punished after he refused to give evidence against the gunman.

Fields went to ground in Southend after the shooting of a 40-year-old man by Tony Argent outside a pub in Plaistow, East London.

Fields was in the pub at the time of the attack but the "climate of fear" that surrounded the murder scared him into hiding, the Old Bailey was told. Six warrants were issued to get witnesses to testify.

Judge Giles Forrester said: "Had all the main witnesses decided not to come forward, what then?

"The man who committed the murder would still be walking the streets. It must generally be known that if orders of the court are disobeyed serious consequences follow."

Jobless Fields, from Stratford, East London, gave a statement and was then burgled three times, the court heard. He went into hiding in Southend and broke a number of bail conditions ordering him to report to police.

John O'Donovan, defending, said: "There was an active group of people in the background trying to frighten witnesses to stay away. The fears were very real fears and officers were aware Argent or his friends were going around and threatening witnesses.

"He didn't mean to disrespect the court."

The case went ahead with witnesses giving evidence anonymously.

Argent was sentenced to life imprisonment. Fields admitted being in contempt of court.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.