Shildon man Neville Coatsworth jailed after shooting at his neighbour

Neville Coatsworth’s mental health spiralled out of control during Covid lockdown when his family were no longer able to visit him at his Shildon home.

The partially-sighted 56-year-old twice fired his sawn-off shotgun when his next-door neighbour managed to slam it in his face when she spotted the weapon.

Coatsworth then fired the gun through the bay window of the house on Dale Road not caring whether anyone was in the front room or not, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Neville Coatsworth taken to the ground by armed police

Nick Dry, prosecuting, said the defendant then turned the shotgun on another neighbour when he confronted him in the street.

“He believed his neighbour was entering his house through the loft space and stealing items from the defendant’s house. A claim that had no foundation as the neighbour had no access to the property through the loft,” he said.

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The judge heard how the defendant had turned to drink following the death of his parents and had become increasingly isolated.

Mr Dry said Coatworth’s ‘obsession’ with the next-door neighbour culminated in the shooting in October last year when he knocked at their door armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

He said: “She saw the defendant was holding a gun and smirking, causing her to slam the door shut and lock it, only for the defendant to then discharge the sawn-off shotgun at the door.

“Moving away from the door, she heard a second shot aimed at the door lock and another that shattered a pane in the bay window, again narrowly missing the position she had taken up.”

Neville Coatsworth being led away by police

The court how another neighbour came out to see what the noise was and Coatsworth levelled the sawn-off shotgun in his direction before going back into his own home.

Specialist armed officers arrived on the scene and discovered the defendant still holding the weapon and his pockets loaded with shotgun cartridges.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “I opened the door and was faced with a shotgun pointed directly at me and then running for my life through my own home. Cowering in my own home, I heard my window being shot through.”

Fearing that he would repeat his attack in the future, she added: “I have seen a massive deterioration in Neville over the past two years due to his drinking. He was absolutely obsessed with my husband entering his home.

“We raised our concerns with his family about his obsession but Neville is not safe to be out until this obsession is over.

“He shot through my window, with limited eyesight, he had no idea if anyone was there or not. It could have been one of my daughters, it could have been a child – he didn’t know.”

Neville Coatsworth in police custody. Picture: DURHAM CONSTABULARY

Coatsworth, of Dale Road, Shildon, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and cause fear of violence and illegal possession of two shotguns following the incident on October 7 last year.

The prosecution offered no evidence on a charge of attempted murder following the compilation of psychiatric reports into his mental state at the time of the shooting.

Martin Towers, in mitigation, said his client’s mental health had improved during his time in custody since his arrest last year.

He added Coatsworth’s delusion led to him genuinely believing that people were coming into his home and releasing tarantulas, spiking his drinks, and stealing his goods.

Judge Jonathan Carroll imposed a 13-year sentence on Coatsworth – eight years in custody with an additional five years on extended licence.

He said: “You levelled the shotgun at her, with remarkable presence of mind and speed of reaction, she slammed the door shut and moved to one side as you shot. Had she not moved the consequences would have been catastrophic.

“You didn’t stop there, you fired it two more times. As it is a single shot shotgun, you must have had to break the shotgun, reload and then firing.

“Given the fact that you are blind, you had no idea who was there and what harm you were potentially causing.”

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