A Slough murder suspect who disappeared for 15 years after a teenager was tortured and shot dead in a revenge killing, went on trial this week after being arrested while flying back to the UK.

A jury heard that Jamil Khalid, now aged 40, provided vital details and a key to the house where the victim was snuggled up to his girlfriend before the shooting happened.

Daniel Higgins, 18, was stabbed repeatedly and eventually shot in the head by masked men who burst into his girlfriend's house in Burnham in 2003.

Investigators later found vital evidence on a mobile phone which, the prosecution claimed, showed that Khalid contacted the person who was later jailed for life for the murder of Daniel 27 times in one day.

The jury heard that the phone evidence clearly showed that Khalid, then 23, was involved in the revenge murder.

The jury was told that in the early hours of November 9, 2003, a group of intruders entered a home in Slough and shot the 18-year-old in the head after horrifically torturing him in a revenge murder.

Majad Khan was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 following the death.

The panel of four women and eight men heard on Tuesday that Khalid "tipped off the killers as to the whereabouts of Higgins" and gave the group of masked men the key to the side door so they could "gain entry to the house to kill him".

Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC explained that the mobile phone the Crown alleged belonged to Khalid was used to telephone convicted killer Khan 27 times during the 24 hours leading up to the murder, having only called him six times in the month prior.

"Whoever had that phone was deeply involved in the murder," said Mr Christopher.

"Therefore it is no surprise that the defendant is denying it was his. The prosecution suggest it could not have been anyone else but the defendant who was using that phone that night," said the prosecutor.

Following the discovery of the telephone evidence, police tried to arrest Khalid, of Coopers Way, Slough, but he disappeared until he was eventually arrested at Birmingham airport having flown from Pakistan last year, a court heard.

The jury was told that the then 23-year-old Khalid had a key to the house of Natalie Muncey through his girlfriend, Chloe Muncey.

Despite vigorous police searches the key was never found but "he said he left the key in the house on top of a table in the lounge," the prosecutor added.

In his opening speech, Mr Christopher said: "Khalid had access to the key by girlfriend Chloe who was Natalie’s youngest sister. Chloe often stayed at that house with Natalie, she kept a key to the side door to the property.

"Although he did not carry out the killing, the prosecution allege Khalid brought about a vital part. On November 12, 2003 he was arrested and released without charge, but shortly after that police received telephone evidence showing numerous calls between Khan and the mobile number the prosecution say was his phone.

"Police tried to arrest him but could not find him. He was eventually arrested flying into Birmingham airport from Pakistan. He denies having anything to do with the murder."

The jury, sitting at Reading Crown Court, heard that on November 9, 2003, Daniel was cuddled up watching a DVD with new lover Natalie in her home when he was ripped from her arms by a number of balaclava-clad intruders, with one of them wearing a terrifying Halloween mask and holding a machete.

The teenager was horrifically tortured before being fatally shot in the head. The jury heard he was smacked across the head with "a chopping instrument and a hammer," found with stab wounds to his thigh and buttocks and blows to the lip.

In her evidence, Ms Muncey reported it sounded as if someone was being thrown against a wardrobe in her spare bedroom, followed by one of the intruders telling her "he is going to die tonight".

Mr Higgins was shot as 19-year-old Natalie cowered with her sobbing 10-month-old baby in the next room of the house in Thirlmere Avenue, Burnham.

"She saw him lying on his back with blood everywhere and the smell of gunpowder in the room. Natalie went into the kitchen and saw more blood which turned out to be Khan’s blood," Mr Christopher said.

Khan was stopped by a police officer at 7.30am - just hours after the murder - at Waterloo Eurostar with a one-way ticket to Paris.

The court heard the officer had noticed he was bleeding from a bandage on his right arm and asked where the man came from, who disclosed an address in Slough.

Khan, of Wexham Road, Slough, was arrested and later convicted of the murder of Daniel Higgins and jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.

The backdrop to the attack was set by the prosecutor who told the jury the murder was to avenge the killing of Mohammed Choudry nine months previously.

Mr Christopher said: "It appears that this murder was a revenge for a murder which had taken place in February 2003.

"The man whose murder we are concerned with, he was arrested on suspicion in the involvement of the murder but he was released without charge. Majad Khan’s car was stolen and Daniel Higgins was charged with handling stolen goods. He came before this court but there was no evidence and he was found not guilty."

Mr Christopher outlined a number of reasons how the prosecution knew the phone belonged to the defendant, including eight calls to his father's telephone and his girlfriend Chloe.

Mr Christopher said: "If you look at the few weeks before the murder, we know that that number called Khan six times over the period up until November 7. But over the period November 8 and 9, they called each other 27 times in the space of just 24 hours.

"Immediately, in the aftermath of the murder, the number was never used again. There is no doubt what Khan was preparing and carried out, he was found guilty. The prosecution suggest it is no coincidence his number was used so much over that period.

"Whoever had that phone was deeply involved in the murder, therefore it is no surprise that the defendant is denying it was his. The prosecution suggest it could not have been anyone else but the defendant who was using that phone that night."

The hearing continues.

Khalid denies all charges.