Paul Millward (53), of Central Avenue, Kirkby, is accused of shooting his boss David Carter (63) at his Roderick Avenue home following a dispute over a debt on 6th September last year.

Leicester Crown Court was told how Mr Carter, who spends most of his time in Holland with his wife and two children, had returned to England to pay bills.

Mr Carter said he then postponed his flight back to Holland after Millward had asked to meet him to pay off a £2,800 debt.

When they met at Mr Carter's home, Millward then asked him to write off the debt, but Mr Carter refused.

Firearm

Millward –– who denies attempted murder, but admits possessing a firearm and wounding with intent –– is then alleged to have pulled out a gun and put it on his lap.

He then put the gun away just as a neighbour, David Smith, walked into the kitchen.

The court was told Millward then shot Mr Carter once in his left arm and once in his hand and threatened to shoot Mr Smith and his family if he said anything.

Mr Smith was eventually allowed go to the bathroom and escaped from an upstairs window by climbing onto a flat roof, before he ran to his house next door and called police.

Mr Carter, who has since had five operations and had his thumb amputated, told the court: "I turned round and he pointed the gun at me and fired.

"The force of it pushed me to the floor. When I looked my left arm was hanging off, just hanging by the sinews and I was screaming.

"Mr Millward was standing at the top of David Smith, with the gun pointing at his head, and he turned round and categorically said, we will wait for him to die.

"I thought I was going to die. I thought 'if he locks the door I am finished' but he didn't. I got on my knees and managed to shunt myself to the front door."

Sawn-off

Neighbour Mr Smith then told the court how the near-fatal moment had unfolded.

"Paul had got a sawn-off shot gun," he said. "He had it underneath the table pointing at me. I didn't know if David knew about it. I wasn't really taking it in.

"David went to use the phone. When he finished the call Paul stood up, came round me and just shot him. He was about two feet away. David dropped to the floor and was in a bad state.

"There was blood all over the floor and I didn't know what to do. Just before David had said 'put the gun away, there is no need for that.'

"I just froze and Paul pointed the gun at my head. I didn't say a word and the next minute he made me sit on the floor of the hallway. He told me I was not going anywhere until David's dead."

Mr Carter, who employed Millward in 2003 as a night porter at the Nuthall Lodge Hotel which he used to run, is alleged to have lent Millward £2,800 in December 2003 because he was having financial difficulties.

After his hotel business failed, Mr Carter employed him on a casual basis as his gardener.

Richard Thatcher, defending, said Mr Carter had given £54,000 to Millward in 2006 to look after because he was having marital problems and wanted to hide the money. He claimed Mr Carter had returned to the UK to get some of the money and had sent 23 text messages to Millward demanding it.

Mr Thatcher said: "Far from threatening Mr Smith, he actually said 'I will not hurt you. Mr Carter, this is one example of you turning a serious incident into some gangland movie."
The case continues.