Sawn-off shotgun used to kill Connor Brookes was found in Staffordshire hedgerow a month after killing
The sawn-off shotgun used to kill Connor Brookes was found in a Great Wyrley hedge a month after the drive-by shooting, a court has heard.
Julian Falconer and Byron Sellick, both aged 20; and Jake Sanbrook, aged 23, are standing trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court for the murder of Mr Brookes who was shot to death on Well Lane, Blakenall, on July 8, last year.
The jury heard on August 3, last year, West Midlands Police were tipped off the gun had been hidden in the Staffordshire village of Great Wyrley.
A Staffordshire Police armed response unit officer was instructed to recover the weapon whilst keeping the forensic integrity of the piece of evidence.
In a statement, read to the jury, he said: "Upon arrival at the junction of Gorsey Lane and Wryley Lane in Great Wyrley I was met by a West Midlands Police detective and a dog handler.
"They were there after being told there could be a murder weapon in the area."
He added: "The dog handler said his dog had conducted a search and positively identified a bag which believed to contain firearm under a hedgerow. I saw a white T-Mobile carrier bag at the bottom of a bush about a metre from the roadside.
"I could see there was something wrapped in a black bag bin liner inside the white bag. I went through my forensic process and put on my suit, mask and looked inside the bag."
He added: "It was a sawn-off side by side double barrel shotgun. The safety catch was already set to safe. The shotgun was empty. Upon looking down the barrel and could see there was debris, it is not uncommon to see debris in a shotgun which has been fired.
"There were not any identifying marks, due to the modification I could not see a make, model or serial numbers."
Whoever had shot the gun had removed the cartridge used in the shooting the previous month. The cartridge has never been found.
The gun was sent off for ballistics testing and results revealed it was the same weapon which had killed Mr Brookes, 20, and injured his passenger Bradley Sladyszyn.
Falconer, of Wyrley Close, New Invention, Willenhall; Sanbrook, of Fisher Road, Mossley, Bloxwich and Sellick, of no fixed abode, are charged with murder, attempted murder and possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life.
Samuel Danks-Petty, 20, of Buildwas Close, Mossley, is accused of intent to pervert the course of justice.
All four deny all charges, the trial continues.