Raid continued after shooting, jury is told

Craig Hodson-Walker was shot during an armed raid at Fairfield Post office and stores, near Stourbridge, in January, a jury was told. Prosecutor Mr Timothy Raggatt QC, was speaking after a jury at Birmingham Crown Court had been shown CCTV pictures of the moment Mr Hodson-Walker was shot through the heart as he defended his parents.

Mr Raggatt told the court "The first shot is the one that killed Craig Hodson-Walker. He was shot through the heart in the first thirty seconds. Two thirds of what we watched went on after that.

"They carried on regardless of what had happened for most of the time after one of their number had gunned down Craig Hodson-Walker."

The CCTV pictures showed Craig Hodson-Walker, dressed just in his underwear, trying to defend his family with a cricket bat. A shot was fired after one of the raiders was hit with the bat.

The images also showed Mr Hodson-Walker's father Ken and mother Judith attempting to fight off the raiders.

The prosecutor added that the gunman could be seen cocking the pistol used to kill Mr Hodson-Walker and then to shoot his father in the leg.

He said the footage showed the gunman being "almost ushered" towards Ken Hodson-Walker by another member of the gang. "The gunman might not have gone to shoot Kenneth Hodson-Walker but for the fact that he was almost dragged and instructed to," said Mr Raggatt.

"That's teamwork and that is a classic illustration you may think, of joint enterprise as well."

Anselm Ribera, Adrian Snape, Christopher Morrissey and his brother Declan Morrissey deny Craig Hodson-Walker's murder and the attempted murder of his father.

Snape, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham; Christopher Morrissey, of Elmay Road, Sheldon, Birmingham; Declan Morrissey, of Shirley Park Road, Shirley, Solihull; and Ribera, of Topfield House, Druids Heath, Birmingham, further deny possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Mr Raggatt told the jury although Snape had not gone into the store he was "pivotal" to the operation in his role as getaway driver. He added that they should put their emotions to one side when considering the evidence.

The trial continues on Monday.