Man killed by single shot to heart in living room

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

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A man was killed by a single gunshot wound to his heart as he stood in his living room, a murder trial has heard.

Barry Dawson, 60, was fatally struck when a handgun was fired through his window in Stanley, County Durham, in April, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Sean Reay, 30, who is accused of being the shooter, and four other men deny murder.

Pathologist Dr Sam Hoggard said the bullet travelled through Mr Dawson's heart and lung and was found lodged in a sofa cushion.

Jurors have heard Mr Dawson was shot at his home on Elm Street in South Moor at about 17:15 BST on 5 April.

A CCTV video seen by the jury showed one man smashing the living room window with a brick before another stepped forward and fired a single shot into the room.

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.

Mr Dawson was declared dead at the scene about an hour after being shot, the court has heard.

Dr Hoggard said he conducted his post-mortem examination two days later at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, with the cause of death being found to be a gunshot wound to the heart.

He said Mr Dawson was struck just below his left nipple with the bullet passing through his heart, diaphragm, liver and lung before exiting through his back.

The court heard Mr Dawson was standing in front of the smashed window when the gunman fired from the street outside.

The bullet came from a 9mm-calibre self-loading handgun, the court heard.

The defendants, all of whom are from 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

Keith and Kevin Dorward have both admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice, by setting alight a Seat Arona belonging to Kevin Dorward and allegedly used by the killers to get to and flee the shooting, jurors were told.

The trial continues.