South Shields man and brother deny attempted murders after mum and son shot

Emma Robinson was preparing food at her home in Westerhope, Newcastle, on October 3 when she heard a loud bang and breaking glass then felt pain to the side of her face.

Newcastle Crown Court heard she did not realise she had shotgun pellets embedded in her body until she went to a walk-in centre the following day.

Two days later, Jordan King was shot at his home, about a mile away in the same suburb and was hit in the side of the neck and leg.

Jurors have heard Thomas Lee, 21, of no fixed address and James Lee, 27, of Henry Nelson Street, South Shields, South Tyneside, carried out the shootingsbecause they were "cross" as a result of previous arguments with the victims or their families.

Prosecutor Simon Myerson QC told the court: "It appears that these two shootings were carried out for revenge because they were cross."

The brothers both deny two charges of attempted murder, two of wounding with intent and James Lee denies a charge of possessing firearm ammunition while prohibited.

The court heard Ms Robinson had been in the kitchen of her one bedroom flat at around 10pm.

Mr Myerson told the court: "She was making cottage pie.

"She heard a loud noise which she said was simultaneously to a bang and the sound of breaking glass.

"She felt something hit the side of her face.

"There was glass everywhere.

"She turned around and she was hit in the back and she did not know what had happened."

The court heard she could see "lots of little black things" on the kitchen floor, which turned out to be pellets from a shotgun.

Jurors heard the mum went to Ponteland Walk-in Centre the next day for treatment to her injuries.

Mr Myerson said: "When she was there she was told these looked like shotgun wounds.

"At the time it simply shocked her but as the information sank in she realised how serious this was."

The court heard Ms Robinson had injuries from shotgun pellets and flying glass to her face, just above her right eye, her arm, back and behind her ear.

Mr Myerson told jurors: "The prosecution case is pretty straight forward, anyone who fires a gun through a window at a person they can see is standing there, in the way of the gunshot, intends to kill.

"Guns are not toys, guns are not particularly controllable."

Mr Myerson said a "material consequence" of firing a gun at someone is likely to be death and that the fact neither of the victims died was "something to be grateful for".

Mr Myerson said the brothers "planned to commit these offences together" and added: "Each of them were part of the plan to shoot Mrs Robinson and each of them knew that part of the plan was to fire at her with a gun.

"In the circumstances, it doesn't matter who pulled the trigger, each defendant is as guilty as the other."

Mr Myerson said it appeared Ms Robinson was shot because Thomas Lee and another man had bee involved in an argument with her son.

He added: "Jordan King was shot because he had had an argument with one or both of these men."

The court heard Mr King did not make a witness statement about what happened to him but allowed the police to take photographs of his injuries.

The trial continues.