Two men are on trial after their DNA or fingerprints were recovered from a sawn-off shotgun found buried near a children’s play area.

Brandon Ali’s fingerprints were discovered on a black bin bag that the weapon was wrapped in while traces of George Lammie’s DNA was also recovered, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Rebecca Brown, prosecuting, said the shotgun was found buried in woodland at the ear of the playing fields off Henry Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, in October 2019.

Miss Brown said specialist firearms officers were called after it was found that the gun’s barrels had been shortened and it was in working order. Three shotgun cartridges were also recovered from the scene but they were the incorrect calibre for the gun.

She said DNA was tested from the weapon - it indicated that Ali and Lammie had been in contact with the weapon. There was other unidentified DNA on the weapon.

Miss Brown said Ali’s DNA was also recovered from the trigger of the weapon.

A witness statement from PC Stuart Roy from Cleveland Police, is read out to the jury.

He said: “I saw a blue plastic storage lid, on top of that were two logs and fallen leaves. There was a galvanised overturned metal storage case to the side.

“I removed the lid. As I removed soil, I saw the outline of the weapon in a bin liner. There were several layers of material covering the weapon.”

Darlington and Stockton Times: Henry Street play area in North OrmesbyHenry Street play area in North Ormesby (Image: Google)

Ali categorically denied having anything to do with the shotgun when he gave evidence during his trial.

Paul Cleasby, representing the 21-year-old, quizzed his client about how his fingerprints could have been recovered from the bin bag.

Ali said he had been involved in legitimate clay pigeon shooting since he was 12 and could have touched the weapon during that period.

George Lammie told jurors that he had never knowingly touched the shotgun but accepted his DNA could have been transferred to the bag after someone tried to sell him a weapon.

The 45-year-old, represented by Paul Green, said: “Somebody came round my house and wanted me to buy something. I put my hand into the back and felt something but never looked in – I wanted nothing to do with it.”

Lammie said he had never seen the shotgun that was recovered from the field in North Ormesby.

Ali, of Hurworth Street, Bishop Auckland, and Lammie, of Villette Path, Hendon, Sunderland, both deny possession of a prohibited weapons.

The trial continues