DAVID Ryan was seen carrying an envelope containing a large sum of money the night after he allegedly killed Diane Lee, a court heard.

Giving evidence at Chester Crown Court on June 20, barman Oliver Johnson told the jury that Ryan and his friend of more than a decade, Kenneth Gale, had drunk three or four pints and then cocktails of Ryan’s design at the Griffin pub, in Bowdon, on August 10.

Mr Johnson, who served the pair on at least three occasions with other members of staff, said Ryan paid with cash from an envelope of an inch to an inch and a half thick.

“It looked like there was a large amount of cash in the envelope.

“I could see from the colours on the edge of the notes that there were a lot of £20 and £50 notes in there.”

Mr Johnson said he had never seen Ryan produce cash from an envelope before and that he doesn’t remember ever seeing him with a wallet.

He added that Ryan had never paid with a £50 note before.

However, in a statement read out to the jury, Mr Johnson’s colleague, Simon Dawe, said he had in fact received a £50 note from Ryan in the past.

He added that Ryan and Mr Gale had been sitting at the bar of the Griffin when he arrived for work at 6pm.

The trial continues.