A MAN tried to defend his girlfriend from a gunman by standing in front of her and saying "shoot me", a court has heard.

Bristol Crown Court was told that a man shot a woman in a Bristol flat during a row over a car, despite her partner's attempts to defend her.

Julie Heron was shot in her left leg because she accepted a Ford Focus from a man to cover a £400 debt and her son sold the car on in Cardiff.

It is alleged that 32-year-old Terry McDonagh tracked her down, saying the car was his and he wanted it back.

When she couldn't produce it, the court heard he took out a handgun and shot her below the knee.

Yesterday, Gary Finch, who witnessed the shooting, told the court he was at Leon Henry's flat in St Paul's with Julie Heron, who he knew as "Welsh Julie", her partner Steven Hall, another man who he believed to be Irish and Mr Henry, also known as "Clubs".

The jury was told the group was drinking cider and smoking crack cocaine when three men turned up at the flat demanding that Julie Heron give them the car.

Mr Finch, 49, from St Paul's, who is known by the nickname "Jama", said: "There was a knock at the door and someone went down to open the door. The men came in and started asking Julie 'Where's the car?'

"Julie was hysterical and saying she did not know anything about the car. The guy said he was coming back and when he gets back he wants his car. The three of them left.

"About half an hour or so later the three people came back.

"They came into the flat and said to Julie 'Where's the car?'

"One of the guys had a little gun."

Mr Finch told the jury he did not realise it was a real firearm until the first shot was fired.

Mr Finch described the shooter as tall, white, with dark shoulder-length hair and "distinctive, piercing" green eyes with a beard.

He also told the court that Julie Heron's partner, Mr Hall, stood in front of her and told the gunman "shoot me" in an attempt to defend her. The court was told two bullets were recovered from the flat. One was found on the sofa and another was inside a video cassette.

Closing speeches were expected to begin on Friday afternoon. The case continues.