Woman found partner shot dead on living room floor

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

A murder trial has heard a woman recall how she found her partner shot dead on their living room floor.

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

Sean Reay, 30, who is accused of being the shooter, and four other men deny murder, while one of their partners denies perverting the course of justice.

In a police interview shown to jurors, Mr Dawson's partner Sarah Hopwood said the couple were asleep when they were roused by the sound of a window being smashed.

The jury has heard how Mr Dawson was shot in his living room on Elm Street in South Moor at about 17:15 BST on 5 April.

Prosecutor Francis FitzGibbon KC said it was not known if Mr Dawson was the intended target but the shooter and those that encouraged or assisted him intended for someone to be seriously injured or killed.

'Stay with me'

In the 23-minute long video shown to jurors, Ms Hopwood said she and Mr Dawson, who she called Buck, were asleep upstairs when they heard the sound of glass being smashed downstairs.

Ms Hopwood said her partner of a year and four months told her to stay upstairs while he ran down to investigate, but she was "stubborn" and decided to follow.

She heard Mr Dawson's son Shane shouting that his dad had been shot and went into the living room to see Mr Dawson lying on his back beside the settee, jurors heard.

Ms Hopwood said she could see blood coming from beneath his back and Mr Dawson was "going cold".

She held his hand and told him to "stay with me", the court heard, before someone ushered her outside to let him get treated.

"I just wanted to get back in and be with him but I wasn't allowed," Ms Hopwood said.

'Don't know who shot him'

Jurors have seen CCTV of Sean Reay, 30, firing a handgun through the living room window after it had been smashed by a brick thrown by Kelvin Lawson, 37.

Ms Hopwood said there had never been any other incidents at Mr Dawson's home and he had not told her of any concerns, but he was a "worrier" who kept things "close to his chest" and was "not a gossiper".

When asked if she knew who might have shot him, Ms Hopwood replied: "No."

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

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 gang's getaway car stolen after the killing.

The trial continues.