ONE of the accused in the Sible Hedingham shooting claims he was under duress from another one of the suspects.

The judge begun his summing up in the case on Wednesday at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court.

A millionaire businessman was shot at his home in Sible Hedingham, in the early hours of the morning on February 6.

Charlie Simms, 23, of North Road, Great Yeldham, and Christopher Bergin, 27, of Hawkwood Road, Halstead, and Kalbeh Shreeve, 24, of Gibson Road, Sible Hedingham deny aggravated burglary, possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, in relation to an incident in February.

Simms also stands trial for attempted murder for the attack, which left the victim with life changing injuries.

Bergin disputes that he is guilty of any of the offences and said in his defence that he was not part of an agreement to commit burglary or cause harm.

Mr Turner said: “He disputes that he had any element of possession or control of the shotgun.

“He accepts however that he went to the home at the crucial time, he says with Mr Simms, but not with any violent intent.

“Merely being there at all is not enough to make his offences true if as he says he did not want to be there at all.

“He says he acted like he did by the threats from Mr Simms.

“It is his one offence in relation to count one of aggravated burglary.

“The defence of duress has a very particular meaning and you the jury will need to ask yourselves a serious question.

“You must first decide whether the threats in the immediate run up to the incident were ever made.

“If you decide the threats may have been made then they may provide a defence.

“You must asked whether Mr Bergin acted as he did because he genuinely believed that if he did not do so he or members of his family or someone close to him may be serious injured or killed immediately or almost immediately after the events.”

Both Shreeve and Simms deny all charges against them.

Simms claims that he is the victim of a plot between the other two defendants to stitch him up, claiming to be asleep in a caravan or on a sofa at the time.

Shreeve, who had worked on the estate as a gardener and maintenance worker, also says he was asleep at the time the incident took place.

Mr Turner went through the evidence given in the case, including from several neighbours who heard the nearby gunshots and some who spotted men walking or talking in the darkness.

Mr Turner reported how one neighbour, Sharon Ridgewell, had been up late and saw two men outside her window.

He said: “She said they looked shell-shocked.

“One of the men had a black hoody on of some sort which he had open and he was carrying something that looked like an umbrella.

“She remembered noticing this because she said it was unusual to see anybody carrying an umbrella at night.

Evidence was also read from police officers, paramedics, the victims, a woman who had been with Bergin and Simms before the incident and Sheila Bergin.

The jury was sent out on Thursday to consider a verdict for the three defendants.