Tenant 'shot at former landlord'

A man fired a pump-action shotgun through the door of his former landlord's Northamptonshire home after he was evicted, a court has heard.

Steven Ford fired seven shots into Mark Fearn's Raunds home after being evicted from the snooker club he rented from him, Northampton Crown Court was told.

Mr Ford denies attempted murder, attempted GBH with intent and having a firearm with intent.

He admits having a firearm, in October last year, with intent to cause fear.

David Farrell, QC, prosecuting, told how Mr Ford went to the home of his former landlord armed with a Franchi SPAS pump action shotgun, at about 0530 GMT on 25 October last year.

'Intended' to murder

Mr Farrell said: "When the front door was opened by his former landlord he produced that gun.

"The landlord, Mark Fearn, quickly slammed his front door shut.

"The defendant immediately fired the shots through the door at where he no doubt believed Mark Fearn to be standing."

Mr Fearn was not hit by the pellets after diving to the floor.

He came to kill me, he did not come to talk to me and he knows that Mark Fearn

"He intended, the prosecution say, to murder Mr Fearn," Mr Farrell said.

Mr Ford was bitter that he had been evicted from a snooker club he rented from Mr Fearn in Raunds, after failing to pay the rent, jurors heard.

Giving evidence, Mr Fearn told how he slammed the front door shut then heard a quick succession of shots.

"It scared me to death, I just didn't know what to do," he said.

"I was screaming to my daughter 'phone the police'. I screamed 'get my gun out' and I haven't even got a gun but what else do you do when someone is at your door with a gun?

"He came to kill me, he did not come to talk to me and he knows that."

The court heard Ford left the house after firing seven shots, then dumped the gun in a nearby street.

The trial continues.