Alan Garbutt murder: Teenager due to give evidence in trial

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, maintains the weapon went of accidently when he blasted Alan Garbutt to the chest.

The 62-year-old was pronounced dead in his North East flat following the shooting in the early hours of August 8 last year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the teenager had been living in Mr Garbutt’s flat for several weeks before the fatal incident.

Read next: Trial delay for couple charged in connection with County Durham toddler's death

Following his arrest, he told officers that he had disposed of the weapon in a field near to the scene of the shooting in a flat in Helmsley House, Guisborough.

The weapon has never been recovered but a shotgun cartridge identical to the one fired from the ‘slam-gun’ was found in the field.

Alan Garbutt

Earlier in the trial, jurors heard how the teenager had held the homemade weapon against his victim’s head weeks before the alleged murder.

Mr Garbutt’s daughter, Adele, said her father had been ‘bullied’ into dealing by the teenager while he was living in his flat.

When asked whether she had heard about any incidents involving weapons in the house, she said: “Dad had a mark on his forehead. The accused said to me 'what would you do if I said to you, you owed me a grand?' Then he indicated to my dad 'that silly old b******, I had a gun to his head and he said he’d pay me'."

Police at the scene of the alleged murder of Alan Garbutt

Under cross examination from defence barrister, Pater Makepeace KC, Ms Garbutt confirmed that her father and his brother, Brian, had been dealing Class A drugs to young people in the town for a number of years.

He asked: “Did you think it would make sense to blame all of this on the teenager?” The witness replied: “No.”

• Weapons, drugs, cash and vehicles seized in major police operation on street
• Persistent Darlington stalker given final warning to leave woman alone or face prison
• Serial offender back behind bars after Darlington crime spree

If you want to read more stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here

A firearms expert told the court that a shotgun cartridge recovered from the scene showed it had been fired by a homemade weapon which resulted in the death of Mr Garbutt.

Andre Horn told jurors that the weapon was pointed directly at the alleged victim’s chest and fired from around four feet away.

Fire crews and ambulance crews also attended the block of flats at Helmsley House in Guisborough, from around 2.20am on August 8, where the body of Mr Garbutt was discovered.

The trial continues.