Jump directly to the content
TORTURE TRIAL

Undercover TV reporter ‘tortured & murdered dad in front of family’ at Cheshire farm then went on run for 16 years

A BBC undercover reporter tortured and murdered a dad in front of his family at a farm before going on the run for 16 years, a court heard.

Christopher Guest-More, 44, became one of Britain’s most wanted after fleeing to Spain in 2003 until he was eventually caught in Malta in 2019.

Christopher Guest-More is accused of killing Brian Waters over a £20,000 drug debt
6
Christopher Guest-More is accused of killing Brian Waters over a £20,000 drug debtCredit: © Cheshire Police/Andrew Price
Brian Waters was tortured and murdered in front of his son and daughter
6
Brian Waters was tortured and murdered in front of his son and daughterCredit: © Cheshire Police/Andrew Price

The former TV researcher allegedly killed Brian Waters, 44, over a £20,000 drugs debt in front of his children Gavin, now 42, and Natalie, now 38.

He is also accused of committing grievous bodily harm against another man, Suleman Ruzak, who survived four hours of torture in a remote barn.

Guest-More held them all in a cow shed in Tabley, Cheshire, the day after Mr Waters’ family had been celebrating Natalie’s 21st birthday in June 2003, it is claimed.

Three other alleged co-conspirators, John Wilson, James Raven and Otis Matthews, were convicted of murder and grievous bodily harm between 2004 and 2007.

DRUG DEALS

Prosecutor Nigel Power QC told Chester Crown Court that the defendant’s TV work will “feature prominently in the trial”.

He said Guest-More along with his pal Raven “worked together providing undercover and surveillance services” for media companies.

He said Channel 4 Dispatches used the pair for an expose on cannabis in October, 2002 where they managed to source an illegal growing operation.

The Crown said Mr Waters had been involved with weed smuggling for many years having been convicted of importing it from India in 1981.

More was seen arriving at Chester Crown Court under a coat for the trial
6
More was seen arriving at Chester Crown Court under a coat for the trialCredit: © Andrew Price

He used Wilson to broker drug deals in Holland who was searched at a port on a job in 1999 where cops confiscated £20,000 in cash from him.

Wilson was "upset" at losing the money and Mr Waters had to work harder for Wilson to pay off the debt.

He was a "full time drug dealer" by 2003 and had set up a cannabis farm in Holland.

He made various trips to Holland every month with Easyjet to do cannabis deals - some of them for Wilson.

He decided he could make more money if he grew his own cannabis in England and rented Burnt House Farm at Tabley for £1,000 a month to set up a cannabis growing operation.

Mr Power said: "It was the location where he was ultimately to be murdered."

More denies the murder of Mr Waters and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Waters and Mr Razak.

John Wilson was found guilty of the murder of Brian Waters
6
John Wilson was found guilty of the murder of Brian WatersCredit: © Cheshire Police/Andrew Price
James Raven was also found guilty in August 2004 of the murder of Brian Waters at a farm in Tabley, Knutsford in 2003
6
James Raven was also found guilty in August 2004 of the murder of Brian Waters at a farm in Tabley, Knutsford in 2003Credit: © Cheshire Police/Andrew Price
Otis Matthews who was also convicted of Mr Brian Waters's murder
6
Otis Matthews who was also convicted of Mr Brian Waters's murderCredit: © Cheshire Police/Andrew Price