Shooting murder-accused went to 'put windows out'

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

A man accused of being in a group that murdered a 60-year-old in a shooting has told jurors he only went along to "put some windows out".

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.

His co-accused Thomas Sterling, 22, said he did not know Mr Reay was armed and only found out hours later a shot had been fired.

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.

A CCTV video seen by the jury showed Kelvin Lawson smashing the living room window with a brick before Mr Reay stepped forward and fired a single shot into the room.

Mr Dawson was declared dead at the scene about an hour later, the court has heard, with the bullet having pierced his heart and lodged in a sofa cushion behind him.

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 had been threatened outside his own home by a man in a "green Jeep" earlier that day and had gone to South Moor with his four-accused in Kevin Doward's Seat Arona to "scare" him.

Being questioned by his barrister Jamie Hill KC, Mr Sterling, who had had a "canny bit" to drink and taken cocaine earlier that afternoon, said he did not know where they were going but it was "just to put some windows out".

When asked why he went along, Mr Sterling said it was because his friend had "had some serious threats that day".

Mr Hill asked: "Whose windows did you think you were going to put out?"

Mr Reay, who did not know Mr Dawson, said he thought it was those of the man from the Jeep.

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

The court has heard Mr Dawson was unconnected to the threat made to Mr Reay.

The group saw the Jeep parked in the alley outside the back of Mr Dawson's home so pulled up in a neighbouring street, the court heard.

Mr Sterling said he threw a rock at the "green Jeep" but missed, then followed Mr Lawson round to the front and watched as his co-accused hurled a brick through the window of Mr Dawson's home.

They then fled back into the alley pursued by Mr Dawson's son and another man who, after seeing the group of masked defendants, turned and ran back to Mr Dawson's home, the court heard.

Mr Reay emerged from the alley followed by Mr Sterling, Mr Lawson and Kevin Dorward, jurors have been told.

It was only when Mr Reay pulled the handgun out to point at another man on the street that Mr Sterling said he realised his friend was armed.

'Was in trouble

When asked by Mr Hill what he felt when he saw the gun, Mr Lawson said: "I just thought 'what the [expletive]', I didn't know what to do."

Mr Sterling said he returned to the alley while Mr Lawson threw a second brick through the window and Mr Reay shot into the home, although Mr Sterling said he did not hear the gun fire.

The group then drove in the Arona to Mr Sterling's house where he took a shower, the court heard.

When asked why he took a shower, Mr Sterling, told jurors: "My lass said I stink of drink and that."

He said it was only several hours later that he found out a shot had been fired and a man had been killed.

He said he was scared, adding: "I knew I was there and I was in trouble for it."

'I think it's an accident'

Mr Sterling said he, Mr Reay and Mr Lawson "panicked" and got a train to Edinburgh where they walked around for about four hours before getting a taxi home.

He was arrested several days later, the court heard.

When asked by Mr Hill how he felt about the fact someone had died, Mr Sterling replied: "It's terrible but at the end of the day I think it's an accident."

Judge Mr Justice Cotter asked Mr Sterling why he thought it was an accident, to which Mr Sterling, who had told jurors there was no discussion of hurting anyone at all, replied: "I didn't think that was the intention of the day."

Keith and Kevin Dorward have both admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by setting alight the Arona.

Kevin Dorward's partner, Michaela Hetherington, 35, of South View Gardens, Annfield Plain, has admitted perverting the court of justice by falsely reporting the Arona stolen after the killing.

The trial continues.