THREE Worcester men who talked on an internet site about frightening witnesses in a city murder case have each been jailed for 14 months.

Marcus Taylor, Gary Dayus and Thomas Barnes billed their group as the “Warndon Manz” which warned about “getting the snitches” and running them out of town.

The trio claimed they were friends of Daniel Martin, who is accused of the murder of Andrew Heath. He died after a blaze broke out at his home in December 2011. Other people posted messages on the social networking site Facebook before the defendants chatted on a Messenger talk site, said Alex Warren, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Five prosecution witnesses – who could be called to give evidence in a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in June – were named on the internet.

Taylor warned: “We will get a massive crew together and run them out of Worcester.” He also referred to taking one witness’s “head off”.

A message from Dayus threatened: “We’re going to find them.” And Barnes replied: “Let’s get ‘em.”

Complaints were made to police before the men were arrested in October last year. Taylor, aged 25, of Goldsmith Road, Dayus, 26, of Oakridge Close, and Barnes, 21, of Turners Close, pleaded guilty to conspiring to intimidate witnesses.

Jailing them, Judge Toby Hooper QC said although the plan was not executed it had the potential of interfering with a very serious case.

Chat on the internet was not private but in the public domain, he said. The crime required a deterrent sentence.

Mr Warren said one message threatened to take a man’s jaw off and another claimed that a female witness’s address was known.

Dayus had 54 offences on his record and Taylor 35. Barnes only had a short record which began after he made redundant from his job as a qualified mechanic.

Dayus told police he was motivated by friendship, but said he would not have carried out any threat. The other defendants gave no comment interviews.

Judith Kenney, for Taylor, said Facebook chat began with the words: “The grass always gets cut”. Taylor had not contacted any witnesses but justified his comments as “sticking up for a mate”. Miss Kenney said the words posted were misguided and serious.

Richard Hull, for Dayus, said he accepted that they were enticing people to take the law into their hands.

He had an appalling record since the age of 15 but was showing signs of putting drug and alcohol abuse behind him after settling down with a partner and their two children.

Adam Western, for Barnes, said he began mixing with the wrong crowd after losing his job.

“He got carried along in a plan made by others,” he said. “He got involved in the conversation in order not to lose face among his peers."