A MAN who was jailed for his part in the murder of a drug dealer has died in prison.

In 2004, Brian Matthews was handed a life sentence for the murder of Andrew Green, who he later buried at the Whitfield Farm in Shaw.

But, this week it was revealed that the 72-year-old died of a heart attack while serving his 30-year-old sentence at HMP Frankland, in Durham.

His death occurred at the jail on Sunday, October 13, but it was only made public when an inquest opened at the County Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court.

Mr Matthews was involved in the killing Mr Green along with his son Warren Matthews and another man, Mark Morris.

Mr Green, a Blackley resident, went missing on May 14, 2004, after a deal between the two involving a bin bag filled with drugs went awry.

It is thought that Mr Matthews felt that he was in danger after the agreement fell through and planned to have the other man killed.

A jury at the time hereard that Mr Green was shot at least twice in the head with a revolver on a dirt track near Coal Pit Lane in Hathershaw. His body was then bundled into the back of a car and later disposed of in a landfill site at Whitfield Dairy Farm in Shaw.

At the time, police thought son Warren Matthews was the 'executioner' and friend Mr Morris was the driver who took the victim to the scene of the murder.

The body was not found until nine months later, in February 2005, after the men had been charged following a police investigation.

Mr Matthews, from Limeside, was handed a 30-year minimum sentence and his son was given 32 years while Mr Morris, from Failsworth, was ordered to serve at least 25 years.