Businessman still has bullet lodged in cheek

Mr Demarco was shot shortly after leaving the Gala Maybury Casino

A businessman has told a court that he still has a bullet lodged in his cheek after being shot outside an Edinburgh casino.

Tony Demarco, 63, said the bullet could not be removed because it was so close to the carotid artery and important nerves.

But he told the High Court in Edinburgh that he did not know who had shot him.

Four men deny conspiracy to murder and attempted murder, while acting with an un-named accomplice.

The trial had previously heard how Mr Demarco, of Danderhall, Midlothian, was walking towards his silver Mercedes after a night out with friends at the Gala Maybury Casino at the western edge of the city on 8 June.

The father-of-two told the court: "I pressed the remote control then went to open the car door. As I went to open my car door I heard a bang and felt a thud behind my ear, my right ear.

As I went to open my car door I heard a bang and felt a thud behind my ear Tony Demarco

"I turned. I tried to get away from the pain while clutching my head, then walked round the car to the pavement. I thought I had been assaulted."

Mr Demarco said he had not been aware of anyone behind him and had not heard any footsteps.

After being taken to hospital in an ambulance, Mr Demarco was told he had a gunshot wound at the back of his right ear and it had lodged in his cheek.

Earlier the trial heard claims that one of the men on trial, Imran Sakur, owed Mr Demarco money.

Mr Demarco denied this and also denied he was owed thousands of pounds by another man, Shahid Aslam - claimed by Mr Sakur to be the real culprit of the attempted murder.

Mr Demarco said he had given up any involvement in property interests in 2006 and had no business dealings with Sakur - although they had talked about the purchase of villas in Turkey.

He said he had gone to the casino that night to try to patch up a row between Mr Sakur and Mr Aslam over a business deal which had gone wrong.

Murder plot

"I just thought I could mediate and get it sorted out amicably," he said.

In the dock are Francis McGlone, 39, and Jamie Robertson, 25, both of Paisley, Imran Sakur, 35, of Broughty Ferry and Craig Kelbie, 35, of Dundee.

The charge claims that the murder plot began in April last year when Mr Sakur is alleged to have approached Mr Kelbie about recruiting others to make the hit.

Then Mr Kelbie is supposed to have approached Mr Robertson and Mr McGlone, asking them to track down Mr Demarco in return for payment.

It is alleged that the four met and exchanged phone calls, discussing possible ways to carry out the attack.

Then on 3 June last year, Mr Robertson and Mr McGlone are alleged to have taken a firearm to the casino, at the Maybury Roundabout where the A8 leaves the city, where Mr Robertson pulled the trigger.

Mr McGlone also faces charges under the Firearms Act accusing him of possessing ammunition at a house in Paisley.

All four men deny all of the charges against them, and the trial continues.