EXCLUSIVE: Drug supplier asked to unmask EncroChat kingpin thetopsking in Old Bailey trial says 'no prison is a bad place for grasses'

A man accused of helping to arrange the murder of a drugs courier using an EncroChat mobile phone device refused in court to name the alleged gang boss behind the plot.

Giving evidence for the first time during his trial at the Old Bailey Jayes Kharouti, 39, from Epson, Surrey, was asked by a barrister if he would reveal the identity of the user of the EncroChat device known as 'thetopsking'.

Thetopsking is alleged by the prosecution to be a cocaine kingpin, who was behind a drug network that generated £5million in profit in only ten weeks from his luxury base in Dubai.

He is also alleged to have tried to organise the murder of a drug courier after an amount of the drug went missing.

Kharouti, who has admitted to being involved in the supply of cocaine, but denies the conspiracy to murder charge, was asked by his defence barrister if he would identify who thetopsking really was.

He said: "No, I am not going to do that, because I am going to prison for a long time and it is a violent and volatile place and it is a bad place if you are a grass."

This report will be updated later today.