A man who was accidentally shot in the penis by a bungling hitman he had hired to assasinate a rival was jailed for ten years yesterday.

Thomas 'Tommy' Anderson, 48, was standing behind intended target Stanley Creswell when the bullet passed through Mr Creswell's arm, hit a garden gate and ended up flying into his groin.

Anderson, his brother William 'father Billy' Anderson and nephew William 'Ike' Anderson had paid gunman Arthur 'Arty' Pattinson to kill Mr Creswell following a long running feud.

Prosecutor Christopher Knox told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court: Pattinson 43, had been hired to kill Mr Creswell, 37, following a feud with "Ike" Anderson, 30, over £60,000.

All four men denied being involved in the assassination plot but were found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to murder.

Ike Anderson, his father and the gunman were each jailed for 14 years by Mr Justice Holland.

Pattinson had been recruited to carry out the hit and had been in regular contact with the Andersons by telephone.

On the day of the shooting Mr Cresswell left his home in Clydesdale Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear and went to confront Tommy at his home about an earlier altercation.

The gunman arrived as planned, taking aim while Creswell was at Tommy Anderson's garden gate.

"Ike" Anderson, of High Street, Easington Lane, "Tommy" Anderson, of Borrowdale Street, Hetton le Hole, and "Father Billy" Anderson, of High Street, Easington Lane, and "Arty" Pattinson, of Striding Edge, Washington, all denied conspiracy to murder throughout the trial.

Ike had already admitted two charges of possessing an imiatation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence realting to threats made to Mr Creswell and his friends before the shooting.

Mr Justice Holland told them: "This case has particularly serious features. It involves sustained planning over several days and it involves gang warfare - the settlement of disputes by violence and associated threats and intimidation."