Norway teen boasted of UK kill mission, court told

A talented Norwegian footballer turned alleged hitman sent his girlfriend a selfie of him holding a gun shortly before he was arrested, a court heard.

Johannes Natland, 19, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of travelling from Norway to Manchester Airport on 17 March last year to carry out a "hit" for a Swedish organised crime group used by the Iranian regime.

He was thwarted by police who arrested him at a hotel in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, two days after arriving in the UK, jurors have heard.

Natland has admitted being in possession of two working firearms - a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver - and 12 rounds of live ammunition. He denies a charge of conspiracy to murder.

Earlier, his on-off girlfriend Sara Solbi told jurors how Natland had asked to meet saying he had "wild information to share", but not on the telephone.

He confided that he was going to England alone the next day, adding: "This is it – either I've been scammed or I'm off tomorrow."

Asked by prosecutor Alistair Richardson how she felt about it, Solbi replied: "I was not happy about it."

He later revealed more about the "mission" to "shoot someone" for money in England but did not say where or who, the witness said.

He allegedly told her: "Now I can finally kill someone and it's perfect as I get money to do it. I can kill someone and life will be wonderful."

Solbi told jurors that Natland had needed the money and had told her "some Swedish people" were involved.

On 16 March last year, Natland had allegedly messaged her: "Yo it's real."

Solbi said she thought it was a "bad idea" and Natland was becoming "hesitant" as the day of the mission came closer.

Before leaving for England, Solbi asked him if he was sure he had thought it through, the court heard.

He allegedly told her: "It will be a bit cool to kill someone. If I don't get caught we have to celebrate."

Once he had arrived in England, he told her he had picked up a "bang" and sent her a selfie holding a gun, wearing gloves, and smiling, with the message: "Soon it will happen."

As he awaited trial, Natland had phoned Solbi from prison about giving evidence in court.

She told jurors: "He just told me not to tell the truth. He said 'stop lying about what I said'.

"I wasn't lying, I was telling the truth. What I said before is the truth."

Cross-examining, Paul Hynes KC suggested Natland had regrets and might have wanted to abort the mission.

The witness said he was "very back and forth".

She told jurors Natland thought it might be a "scam" and was "sceptical" it would happen.

Hynes suggested it was "bizarre" that Natland could come to England, shoot someone and think nothing would happen.

Solbi said he seemed "sad" and started taking drugs to cope with the stress.

He allegedly told her: "I can't just go back on this now. I love you and so on in case something happened."

The court previously heard Natland had travelled on an emergency passport, then went to Huddersfield to collect the firearms and ammunition from a wooded area.

His former schoolfriend Lucas Oftedal told jurors that Natland had been struggling with drug problems for a while.

He said: "From what I know he was taking Xanax, weed and alcohol. I also heard opiates and cocaine.

"He overdosed at school a couple of times, he was not normal, coming back with red eyes and obviously not sober. He wasn't quite his normal happy self."

Natland had been a "good, popular" student and a talented sportsman and member of a local football club, the court heard.

The trial continues and is expected to last about three weeks.

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