AN inquest into the death of a naturalist who was shot as he sketched wildlife in India heard yesterday that he was unlawfully killed.

David Green, described as a quiet and gentle man, was killed as he worked on his latest piece of art by a river.

The 53-year-old, from Darlington, had travelled to the Far East in November 2003.

He was murdered in January last year as he sat by the banks of the River Betwa, near the town of Orchha, in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Three men -Jagat Singh, Lal Singh and Satish Soni -were jailed for life after they were found guilty of murdering and robbing the highly respected artist.

They continually denied killing Mr Green throughout the case, and will serve at least 20 years in jail each.

The inquest into Mr Green's death was concluded in a brief hearing at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict of unlawful killing after he heard details of a post-mortem examination carried out by pathologist Dr James Sunter at Bishop Auckland General Hosp- ital.

The cause of death was given as a shotgun wound.

After Mr Green's killers were convicted, Indian police released the picture he was working on when he was shot and it was returned to his family in the North-East.

Relatives described how Mr Green was a peace-loving man who liked to meditate twice a day. He lived with his mother in Darlington and was well-known in the area as a naturalist and artist, having illustrated David Bellamy's book Back Yard Safari.

Mr Bellamy said he was as "a wonderful educator of natural history and an amazing artist, not to mention one of the friendliest I have ever known".

A community woodland, near Skerningham Manor, Darlington, has been named Dave's Wood in memory of Mr Green, who is buried there