THE Evening Press can today reveal for the first time the faces of two of the defendants in the James Street Caravan Site shooting trial.

John Hooton senior and Anthony Gaskin were in York Crown Court to hear a jury being told that a family visit ended in violence and a 20-mile trip to hospital.

John Robert Hooton junior, the son of the older pictured man, alleged that his forearm and backside were cut to the bone after Lee James "jumped" him at the city's James Street Caravan Site for "no reason at all".

His father claimed that about four people kicked and hit his son as he lay on the floor, blood pouring from his arm.

The attackers were part of a group that the son alleged had a gun, scythes and baseball bats.

The father, who has a heart condition, said he tried to pull the attackers off because his son was "fighting for his life".

"I said stop them, stop them, get off him, get off him," said the father, denying prosecution claims that he shouted "shoot them, shoot them".

The father was visiting the son, who lives on the caravan site, before taking a Spanish holiday the next day.

Both Hootons claimed the son was taken to a Harrogate hospital instead of York District Hospital because they feared for their safety.

The son said his fear led him to give a false name at the hospital and to police at the site entrance.

He was giving evidence at York Crown Court in defence of Karl Gaskin, 29, of James Street Caravan Site, who with the father denies the attempted murder of Robert James.

The father, 56, of Thistle Hill Caravan Site, Knaresborough, also denies hiding a gun with intent to impede the arrest of Karl Gaskin and the son's brother-in-law Anthony Gaskin.

After the fight, claimed the father, he saw a gun on the ground which he put in a horsebox. He denied trying to hide the gun from the police.

Anthony Gaskin, 30, of Diamond Street, The Groves, alleged in the witness box that he was sitting enjoying the sun in a transit van at the site entrance when Teresa James pulled up and warned him that her husband Peter and others were coming to "sort him out". He did not take the threat seriously.

He described injuries he suffered in a fight which he says Peter James started at a wedding reception earlier that day.

When the James group arrived and the younger Hooton was attacked, he saw a gun on the ground, picked it up and pointed it at Peter James.

"I was very, very frightened for my safety," he said.

Peter James shouted "shoot me, shoot me", Anthony Gaskin threw down the gun and they fought, alleged the man from The Groves.

Anthony Gaskin denies two charges of possessing a shotgun with intent to make others fear violence.

The trial continues.

Updated: 09:12 Thursday, November 15, 2001