Gang 'worked as team' to murder man

Barry Dawson was killed at his home in Stanley in April

A group of men worked "as a team" to murder a man who was shot dead at his home, prosecutors have said.

Barry Dawson, 60, was fatally wounded in the chest when a handgun was fired at his living room window in Stanley, County Durham, in April, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Sean Reay, 30, who is accused of being the shooter, was arrested after fleeing to Northern Ireland, jurors head.

Mr Reay and four other men accused of encouraging or assisting him deny murder, while one of their partners denies perverting the course of justice.

Mr Dawson was shot as he stood in his living room on Elm Street in South Moor at about 17:15 BST on 5 April, prosecutor Francis FitzGibbon KC said.

He told jurors it was not known if Mr Dawson was the intended target of the shooting, which was captured on CCTV and shown to jurors, but that the gunman "intended to kill".

The defendants, all of whom are from Annfield Plain near Stanley and deny murder, are:

• Sean Reay, 30, of Clavering Place

• Keith Dorward, 48, of no fixed abode

• Kevin Dorward, 38, of New Durham Road

• Thomas Lee Sterling, 22, of The Avenue

• Kelvin Lawson, 37, of Frosterley Gardens

The court heard Mr Reay and several others drove to Mr Dawson's home in a Seat Arona belonging to Kevin Dorward, stopping on the way for one of the men, Keith Dorward, to buy gloves from a corner shop.

A brick was thrown through Mr Dawson's window by Kelvin Lawson before Mr Reay stepped forward and fired a handgun into the room, Mr FitzGibbon said.

'Was this a prank?'

In the aftermath, the car was reported stolen and found by police burnt out.

Several of the defendants got a train to Edinburgh and Mr Reay fled to Northern Ireland, where he was arrested five days later, the court heard.

Mr FitzGibbon said it might be that the men accepted being present at the shooting and Mr Reay admitted firing the gun, but the question for jurors was what had been intended.

"Was this a prank, or a scare, or did they have a reason to want to shoot and kill someone they expected to find [in the house]?" the prosecutor asked.

He said the firing of a gun showed an intent to "kill or cause really serious harm" and the men worked "as a team" to "murder someone".

Kevin Dorward's partner, Michaela Hetherington, 35, of South View Gardens, Annfield Plain, denies perverting the court of justice, with prosecutors alleging she falsely reported the Arona stolen after the killing.

The trial continues.