Three more men were in court today charged with the murder of a father shot dead in his Staffordshire home. They are Andrew Hill and John Anslow both from Bilston, and Leigh Astbury, from Wolverhampton.

The three were appearing before magistrates at Cannock over the killing of father-of-two Richard Deakin in his bed at home in Meadway Street, Chasetown. He had recently moved there from Cheslyn Hay.

Two Bilston men, Darryl Dickens and David Harrison, were charged earlier this month.

Police have been hunting businessman Mr Deakin’s killers since July 2010 and charged Dickens, 33, and 62-year-old Harrison 18 months to the day since the murder.

Anamarie Coomansingh, special casework lawyer for the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit, said: “Staffordshire Police conducted a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding this case and a file was forwarded to me. Having reviewed the full file of evidence I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the three men.”