A TEENAGE gang member was paid ?50 by a ?fixer? to flaunt guns for a BBC programme, a court has heard.
The 17-year-old, who was filmed assembling a shotgun on the Panorama documentary, was allegedly given the cash by an intermediary who had been paid by producers.
Following the release of the half-hour Young Gunmen show, whispers surfaced that the team had paid teenagers to pose with guns for the camera.
Concerns were raised by Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe who wrote a letter to BBC Director General Mark Thompson.
The BBC moved to quash the rumours.
But yesterday Liverpool Crown Court heard the youth, who cannot be named, had been given the money by an intermediary to ?show off? the weapon.
div>
Jason Smith, defending the teenager, said: ?The defendant contends he was not paid directly by Panorama producers, but was paid ?50 by an intermediary, a fixer, who had been paid by Panorama.
continue
Bookmarks