AN inquest on the death of Horsforth Chinese restaurant owner Jackie Chau Kwok Tam has been opened and adjourned pending a murder trial.

The 41-year-old, who lived in Hall Park Avenue, died as a result of shotgun wounds to the chest received during an attempted armed robbery at his restaurant, The Dynasty, in Headingley, Leeds, on December 9 last year.

Evidence was given at the Leeds inquest by Detective Inspector Liam McNamara, of Weetwood CID.

He said: "At 8pm on December 9, 1997, an attempted robbery took place at The Dynasty Chinese restaurant in Headingley.

"Three men in balaclavas entered the premises through a rear kitchen door and, during the course of the attempted robbery, one of the men, who was carrying a sawn-off shotgun, took Mr Tam through another door into the kitchen where he was shot in the back.

"Mr Tam was taken to Leeds General Infirmary, where his death was certified at 8.50pm on December 9.

"An incident room was established at Weetwood Police Station where, as a result of inquiries, a number of those involved have been arrested, one of whom has been charged with murder," added DI McNamara.

He said inquiries were still on-going in respect of the others involved in the attempted robbery.

A postmortem was carried out by Dr Guy Nathan Rutty, a senior lecturer in forensic pathology at the University of Sheffield, and a consultant pathologist for the Home Office.

The cause of death was recorded as shotgun wounds to the chest.

A letter was received from the Clerk to the Justices at Leeds Magistrates Court informing Coroner David Hinchliff that a person had been charged with the murder of Mr Tam.

The solicitors for the defendant (who was not named) also sent a letter to the Coroner's Court informing Mr Hinchliff that a second postmortem had been asked for, and carried out.

After hearing all the evidence, Mr Hinchliff adjourned the inquest under section 16 of The Coroner's Court Act 1988.

This means that, because of the criminal proceeding, a verdict on how Mr Tam reached his death will not be decided.

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