A farmer was shot twice and had a gun pressed against his teeth when an armed gang stormed his home and plundered his valuables, a court heard today.
Charles Baldwin and his partner Patricia Musselle were subjected to a terrifying robbery which involved "excessive violence" with the 65-year-old blasted in both his knee and foot in a raid which "blew the patio door away."
The injury to his foot was described as "devastating", Preston Crown Court heard, and there remains a "moderate risk of amputation."
At the time, Mr Baldwin was sleeping in his summer house behind his home on Home Farm, Back Lane, Aughton, near Ormskirk, West Lancashire.
He had drunk five gin and tonics, prosecutor Francis McEntee said, and was suddenly awoken when the patio doors were blown off by the gunfire.
Mr Baldwin recalled how he was fast asleep when he heard a commotion, got up to investigate with his small dog, and saw up to four masked men brandishing shotguns, which were used to fire at him, causing him to duck in horror.
The robbery, between 8:30-9.30pm, on July 28, 2019, led to Mr Baldwin being "frogmarched" in through the French doors to his home, in front of his partner.
Mr McEntee told the jury: "He had been deeply asleep, startled to be awoken by four armed men and in a daze, having had a shot fired close by him.
"From that moment Mr Baldwin was under the control of the offenders, and any further violence was wholly unnecessary."
Six men, predominantly from Kirkby, Merseyside, are accused of carrying out the violent robbery, but deny all the charges.
Mr McEntee told the jury Mr Baldwin was immediately confronted by demands for cash amid threats he would be shot.
He told the court Mr Baldwin was shot after offering to show the gang his cash box before he was sat at his computer desk, where watches were taken from the drawers.
But the apparent ringleader was "not satisfied" with this haul, the court heard, and insisted Mr Baldwin "kept loads of cash."
When he denied having more money, he was again shot, this time in the foot, Mr McEntee said.
The ringleader asked Mr Baldwin if he had guns, to which Mr Baldwin replied that he did, but he was reluctant to hand them over if they were used to hurt someone else.
Mr McEntee said: "Under threat of having the end of a firearm pressed into his teeth, Mr Baldwin, indicated that the keys for his gun cabinet were in a clock on the wall.
"During the subsequent search of the premises, the robbers seized jewellery, bank cards together with PIN numbers and firearms.
"One particular item stolen during the robbery was a gold bracelet, taken directly from Mr Baldwin’s wrist.
"Mr Baldwin had been concerned not to lose the bracelet, and had fashioned a cable-tie to keep it secure.
"In order to remove the cable, Mr Baldwin had to use a paper knife that was on his desk, supervised very closely by the lead offender, who warned him against getting any ideas about using the knife.
"Whether it was a consequence of Mr Baldwin feigning that he was having a heart attack, or whether the robbers had realised all that they could from their raid on the premises, the offenders left, giving a clear warning as they departed."
One of them, brandishing two guns, told him: "Don't call the police for an hour, cos if you do I'll come back and kill you."
Thomas Cunningham, 58, of Back Lane, Aughton, who is a neighbour of Mr Baldwin, Anthony Hill, 40, of Oakdale Close, Kirkby, Craig Reynolds, 36, of Birchmuir Hey, Kirkby, and Alan Hemmings, 45, of Balmoral Close, Kirkby, Dean Sanders, 32, of St Andrews Court, North Shields, and Anthony Shrimpton, 32, of Kirkby Row, Kirkby, all deny conspiring to commit robbery.
Sanders also faces two charges of Section 18 grievous bodily harm and having a firearm with intent which he denies.
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The jury was told how a man called Alan Daniels, 37, from Kirkby, has pleaded guilty to his part in the incident.
The court was told Daniels shot Mr Baldwin twice, and his DNA was found on the paper knife used to free the gold bracelet.
After the gang left, Mr Baldwin and his partner Ms Musselle were scared enough to not call the police, and so called relatives and others living on his farmland.
By this time, the jury heard, the offenders were "clear away."
Mr Baldwin's injuries needed repeated surgeries and while his knee has recovered well, his foot was far more seriously injured, the trial was told.
There remains a "moderate risk of amputation and he will be left with a "significant functional loss in this foot."
After the robbery, Mr Baldwin's bank cards were used at a cash point on Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley, about an hour later, when £300 was withdrawn and then amounts of £300 and £275.
Mr McEntee said, aside from Daniels, there is no "direct evidence" the other six defendants were involved in the armed robbery, but there were "strands which when brought together establish the fabric of a strong case against each."
Proceeding.
