A traffic cop fought back tears today as he told a court how he was blasted by a gunman who then calmly murdered his colleague.

Pc Neil Roper, 45, and his two colleagues had arrested David Bieber after he was caught behind the wheel of a stolen BMW 316 on Boxing Day last year.

But as the officers tried to handcuff their suspect, Pc Roper told the court how he produced a gun and started taking shots.

Pc Roper, an officer with West Yorkshire Police for 18 years, told the court: "I just remember shouting 'gun' and then feeling pain'.

Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court have heard how Pc Ian Broadhurst was shot in the head by the gunman as he lay on the ground with a bullet already in his chest.

Prosecutor Robert Smith QC has told the court how pc Broadhurst begged the gunman not to shoot him again but he was killed after another bullet was "calmly" aimed at his head.

Pc Roper told jurors how he had started duty at 2pm that day and was on regular traffic duties with pc Broadhurst.

He told the court how he and Pc Broadhurst approached the black BMW because they were suspicious about the tax disc it had on display.

The man behind the wheel was then taken to sit in the back of the police car with Pc Broadhurst while Pc Roper investigated the vehicle.

Checks revealed the car was stolen and Pc Roper told the court how he called for back up before any attempt was made to handcuff their suspect, who Pc Roper described as "handy - an athletic built man."

Pc Roper told the court how he had grown suspicious when the suspect was asked to produce his identification but would only search one of his pockets and failed to bring anything out of the other.