A BURNLEY man threatened to kill his girlfriend before pulling a gun from his trousers and holding it to her forehead, a court heard.

Samuel Watson, 21, is also said to have blasted her father's 4x4 with a shotgun while it was parked outside the family home in Carlton Road, Burnley.

He and another man have gone on trial at Preston Crown Court where they face charges including possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Watson, of Wycoller Avenue, Burnley, and Stephen Forsythe, 24, of Grindleton Grove, Burnley, also deny possessing a firearm at the time of committing an offence and damaging a vehicle.

Watson is also accused of making a threat to kill. They deny all the charges.

At the start of a trial, a jury was told that before May this year Watson had been in a turbulent relationship with Marie Ferguson.

Charles Brown, prosecuting, said that on May 22 the defendant arrived at the address where she was living with her parents and other relatives.

An argument developed between the two of them, during which Watson allegedly told her "I am going to kill you." The prosecution alleged he then pulled a gun from his trousers and held the barrels against her forehead, repeating the threat.

Mr Brown added that Marie Ferguson was terrified and Watson calmly removed it afterwards and left. The matter was not reported to police at that stage. Contact took place between them over the next few days

On May 31, Watson apparently having spent the night with her, she told him the relationship was over. He and his clothing, it seemed, were taken to the home of Forsythe.

Later at 6.15pm that day, Marie Ferguson was doing the ironing, upstairs at home when she heard the sound of a car screeching outside.

She looked out to see a dark blue saloon car she said belonged to Forsythe, stationary in the road, next to her father's Mitsubishi four-wheel drive.

Forsythe was in the passenger seat and the window was down. Watson was in the driver's seat.

Mr Brown said: "Watson leant across Forsythe, holding a gun out of the passenger window and discharged the weapon in the side of the Mitsubishi. It made a hole in the door.

"After it was fired, the vehicle was driven away.

The Mitsubishi had a two-inch diameter hole and pellets from a shotgun cartridge were found during forensic examination."

The police were contacted that night but Marie Ferguson was too frightened to tell the full story to them.

The prosecution claim that she later received a phone call from Forsythe in which he admitted taking part in the shooting.

The two defendants were arrested in June and in police interview both denied taking part in the matters put to them.

(Proceeding)