Jury out on men accused of Tipu Sultan shooting

A jury in the trial of two men accused of murdering a takeaway boss has retired to consider its verdicts.
Tipu SultanTipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan died from a shotgun wound to the neck after his killer burst into the Herbs & Spice Kitchen at Lake Avenue, South Shields, last April.

Mr Sultan, a 32-year-old married dad from Sunderland, had been cleaning in the kitchen of the family run Indian takeaway when he was targeted.

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Prosecutors claim Michael Mullen drove gunman Michael McDougall to and from the scene on a motorbike and that both men are equally responsible for the killing.

Mullen, 24, of Hawthorne Avenue, South Shields, and McDougall, 47, of Hylton Avenue, both deny murder, manslaughter and possession of a firearm.

Mullen denies conspiring to pervert the course of justice and McDougall denies a further possession of a firearm charge.

Both men are being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

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Jurors have so far deliberated for over an hour but no verdicts have yet been delivered.

Mrs Juatice Thirlwall has adjourned the case for the weekend and the panel will resume their discussions on Monday.

The trial continues.