A sawn off shotgun used to shoot a Suffolk man after three “hit men” allegedly stormed into his flat was fired at close range, a firearms expert has claimed.

Giving evidence during the trial of five men accused of conspiring to murder Jonathan Catchpole at his home in Forum Court, Bury St Edmunds, firearms expert Dr Philip Seaman said in his opinion the gun was discharged “in contact or close contact” with Mr Catchpole.

Mr Seaman said he had examined photographs of the gunshot wound to Mr Catchpole’s chest and could see “searing” or heat damage caused by hot gases discharged when the gun was fired.

He said the presence of searing indicated the gun had been fired at close range.

Mr Seaman said he was unable to say whether the gun could have been discharged during the course of a struggle between Mr Catchpole and the man holding the gun.

Before the court are Simon Webber, 31, of Bridgewater, Somerset, Paul Baker, 35, of Maiden Newton, Dorchester, Frank Warren, 51, of Victoria Road, Dorchester; Andrew Seaton, 40, of Frome View, Maiden Newton, Dorchester; and Colin Deferia, 59, of Battisford Road, Barking, Suffolk.

They have all denied a charge of conspiracy to murder Mr Catchpole between August 1 and August 5 2015.

Seaton, Webber and Warren have also denied a charge of attempted murder on August 4 and Seaton and Warren have denied possessing a prohibited firearm on the same date.

The court has heard that Webber has admitted possessing a prohibited firearm.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, has claimed that Colin Deferia hatched a plan to have Mr Catchpole murdered after allegedly making a number of threats to him following the breakdown of his relationship with his daughter Rebecca Deferia.

He alleged that Baker, Seaton, Webber and Warren had “lent themselves readily” to the plan and were to be paid £12,500 for their “lethal services”.

He alleged that Warren, Webber and Seaton were the three “assassins or hit men” who went to Mr Catchpole’s flat at 6,45pm on the evening of August 4 last year

Mr Jackson said that after ringing the doorbell and “storming” into the flat one of the men hit Mr Catchpole over the head before Webber allegedly shot him at point blank range in the chest.

After the shooting Mr Catchpole was airlifted to hospital and had 42 shotgun pellets and cartridge wadding removed from his chest cavity and “miraculously”survived.

The trial continues.