Jury deliberates in living room gun murder trial

Barry Dawson was killed at his home in Stanley, County Durham, in April

The jury in the trial of five men accused of murdering a man who was shot dead in his living room has retired to consider its verdicts.

Barry Dawson was fatally hit in the chest when a handgun was fired into his home in Stanley, County Durham, in April, Teesside Crown Court has heard.

Sean Reay, 30, admits firing the weapon but said he did not mean to hit anyone, while four other men who went to the scene with him deny murder.

Two of the accused, Kevin and Keith Dorward, admit perverting the course of justice by setting fire to the car used by the group in the aftermath.

Mr Dawson was shot as he stood in the living room of his home on Elm Street in South Moor at about 17:15 BST on 5 April, jurors have heard.

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 address

• Kevin Dorward, 38, of New Durham Road

• Thomas Lee Sterling, 22, of The Avenue

• Kelvin Lawson, 37, of Frosterley Gardens

Mr Reay has told jurors he went to South Moor with his four co-accused in Kevin Dorward's Seat Arona in order to "scare" someone who had threatened him earlier.

The other men on trial have said they believed they were just going to smash some windows and did not know Mr Reay was armed with a handgun.

Their target was believed to be at Mr Dawson's house, the court has heard.

Kelvin Lawson threw a brick through the window before Mr Reay stepped forward and fired into the room, jurors have heard, with the incident captured on CCTV.

Mr Lawson's DNA was found on the bullet casing from the gun but he said he could not explain how it got there.

The Seat Arona used by the men to get to and from Elm Street was set alight and abandoned after the shooting

Three of the men fled to Scotland hours after the shooting, with Mr Reay then going to Ireland where he was arrested a few days later, the jury has heard.

Kevin Dorward's partner Michaela Hetherington, 35, has admitted perverting the course of justice by falsely reporting the Arona stolen.

The trial continues.