'Weapons fanatic' shot lodger before hiding remains in concrete-filled barrel, court hears

Richard Dyson, 55, vanished in November 2019 after failing to turn up for a planned meeting with his daughter Bethany.

A missing persons investigation was launched, but the mystery remained unsolved until July 14 last year, when human remains were discovered inside a barrel on farmland in Barnsley.

The remains were later identified as Mr Dyson.

Christopher Wright, 73, denies murdering Mr Dyson and a string of related offences.

Opening the case against Wright on Monday (Jun 16), prosecutor Peter Moulson KC said Mr Dyson was murdered on the evening of November 17, 2019.

Moving to the possible motive, Mr Moulson told the jury it may emerge that Mr Dyson had stolen some firearms from Wright and sold them on.

He said: "It may be that Wright would have been very angry about such thefts, and it may be that Wright's motive for the murder of Mr Dyson arose out of those thefts."

He told Sheffield Crown Court that for several years prior to his death, Mr Dyson had been living and sleeping in one of his three vehicles parked at Wright's home address in Barnsley.

Mr Moulson said: "Mr Dyson had lived in that way for several years.

"You might ultimately conclude that Mr Dyson bit the hand that fed or helped him, and thereafter was made to pay the ultimate price with his life.

"It is the Crown's contention that the defendant Mr Wright was something of a weapons fanatic and collector of the same.

"Found in searches of his house were numerous firearms, some antique some not, 10,000 rounds of ammunition and the devices to make more were discovered along with bows and arrows, knives and like items.

"Therefore the theft by anyone including Dyson of any of his weapons would have been especially irritating to Mr Wright."

Mr Dyson's "neatly severed" remains were found inside a barrel filled with concrete, which was located on a trailer on farmland near to Wright's property in July 2025.

Mr Moulson said: "Further examination of the skeleton revealed that Mr Dyson had been shot, possibly more than once."

He said that after murdering Mr Dyson, Wright sought assistance of Karl Schwable, his co-accused and best friend, who lived nearby.

Phone evidence allegedly shows a short phone conversation between the two men on the night Mr Dyson is alleged to have been murdered.

The jury were told they will see CCTV footage of what prosecutors claim is Schwalbe's vehicle arriving at Wright's property a short time later.

He is alleged to have remained at Wright's property for around an hour.

Mr Moulson said: "Here having murdered Dyson, Wright rang his best friend of long standing, perhaps not as Wright was to claim to police to discuss his diabetes issues but for a very different form of assistance.

"Mr Schwalbe came quickly to the aid of his very long-term friend late that night in November 2019 and stayed for an hour."

Two days after the alleged murder, Wright's bank card was used to purchase supplies from Allendales Building Supplies.

Mr Moulson said: "You will recall concrete was in the barrel in the trailer along with Mr Dyson’s remains."

The next day, Wright asked a farmer with land close to his if he could park a trailer there, containing the barrel that Mr Dyson's remains were found in six years later.

Wright is accused of Mr Dyson's murder, a charge of preventing a lawful burial, along with a number of weapons offences including possessing prohibited firearms, possessing firearms including a shotgun and ammunition without certificates.

Wright and Schwalbe, of Dike Hill, Harley, in Rotherham, are both charged with perverting the course of justice.

The defendants deny the charges.

The trial, which is listed for seven more weeks, continues.