A WOMAN told a jury she was urged to kill herself to keep her ex-boyfriend's family out of trouble, after three of his relatives were arrested on suspicion of murder.

Bristol Crown Court heard that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is currently under a Home Office witness protection scheme after agreeing to give evidence over the killing of Alan Riddock outside the Park House pub in St John's Lane, Bedminster.

She had already told the jury how she drove John Churchley and his cousins Jason and Craig Hartrey to and from the scene of the fatal attack on May 24 last year.

All three men are standing trial for beating and stabbing Mr Riddock to death, as are John Churchley's brother Liam and their mother Diane.

Crown prosecutor Paul Dunkels told the jury Diane Churchley orchestrated the killing in retaliation for a gesture Mr Riddock made to her.

The witness said yesterday she was a former partner of Patrick Churchley, oldest of the three brothers.

Originally she denied any involvement in the killing but when police said they were going to charge her with conspiracy to murder, she co-operated and gave her version of the events of the day of the murder.

She admitted she was still 'besotted' and in love with Patrick Churchley and said after John, Craig and Jason had been arrested and charged with murder, she received a telephone call from him.

The woman broke down in tears and told the jury of eight men and four women: "He told me to take my own life to save his family."

Police moved her to temporary accommodation to protect her.

She said: "At first I was put into a hotel, then a flat, but that was only for one night, then moved again.

"I get an allowance of £15 a day for breakfast, dinner and tea.

"I did not want to move out of the area where my family and friends live but I have no choice."

Another witness who lived near St John's Lane and also cannot be named for legal reasons, said on the evening of the attack he was walking down Almorah Road towards the Park House pub.

He said: "I saw four people with baseball bats; they were coming from Raymend Road.

"They went to the front of the pub, one man smashed the side window with his baseball bat.

"Then he ran around to the front and I heard shouting and screaming. I did not know what was happening.

"Before I got to St John's Lane I saw the four men running back, three continued and one ran across St John's Lane. I could not see their faces, they all had balaclava helmets on."

He said when he turned the corner he could see two men lying on the pavement outside the Park House pub, with a group of people around them.

The man said one of the group shouted at the four attackers but retreated back into the pub when one of them turned back.

Diane Churchley, aged 50, of St John's Lane, Bedminster; Liam Churchley, 20, also St John's Lane; John Churchley, 23, of Queen's Road, Withywood; Jason Hartrey, 39, of Dawlish Road, Bedminster; and Craig Hartrey, 36, of St John's Lane, Bedminster, all deny murder.

They also deny intending to cause grievous bodily harm to Jonathan Stephens.

Diane Churchley is also charged with assisting an offender.

The case continues.