A 72-year-old man who shot dead an intruder trying to break into his caravan home could face a prison sentence for owning the shotgun without a licence.

Reuben Gregory, who lives with his sister Kathleen in an isolated caravan off the Colnbrook Bypass, shot and killed Wayne Digby, 48, in the early hours of Monday, June 12.

He alerted the police himself and admitted to them what he had done.

However the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) accepted Mr Gregory had acted in self-defence during the incident and therefore did not pursue a murder charge.

A horrifying list of items including a wooden mallet, cable that could be used for restraint, bleach, bolt croppers and a tennis ball with the top cut off filled with flammable liquid were found near Mr Digby's body.

Slough Magistrates decided earlier today that he must go to Reading Magistrates Court to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a charge of owning a firearm without a licence.

Magistrate Martin Savage told Gregory: "You knew you needed to have a shotgun certificate, you continued to keep this working weapon in your possession, loaded and specifically for self-defence.

"As a result of that you actually took a man's life."

He granted him unconditional bail until his Reading Crown Court appearance on a date yet to be confirmed.

A third man arrested in connection with the incident, Tony Hearn, 48, has been charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit burglary.