Albert Dryden, who shot council officer dead over planning row, dies a month after being released from prison

Albert Dryden, who shot dead planning officer Harry Collinson in direct view of TV cameras, has died aged 77 following his release from prison just last month.

Dryden became infamous in 1991 when he shot dead planning officer and father-of-two Harry Collinson in County Durham, in a desperate bid to protect his illegally built bungalow from demolishment.

Albert Dryden pulled out a First World War revolver and used it to fire at Harry Collinson, as Harry and his team pressed to demolish the bungalow in front of TV crew and news journalists.

The murder was captured by BBC camera crew and Derwentside District Council photographers.

Video footage shows Mr Collison requesting for the cameraman to document Albert Dryden's gun. Dryden then proceeds to shoot Harry Collinson in the chest, before climbing a fence and firing another 5 shots at Harry and the countless planning officers, council members and journalists at the scene.

Albert was convicted of murder and the attempted murder of a solicitor, alongside being charged for wounding a police officer and BBC journalist Tony Belmont. He was handed a life sentence in 1992, despite claiming that he was mentally unstable and was not responsible for his actions.

Dryden was released from prison last year by the Parole Board on "compassionate grounds", having suffered a stroke, and has now died aged 77 in a care home.

Alex Watson, a lifelong friend of Dryden and now an Independent Durham County Councillor, describes the case as "tragic" as Dryden and Collinson had known each other well.

Watson claims that the murder "should have been prevented - the media and the police were there," and that the police were aware of Dryden’s history of collecting weapons.

Having visited Dryden several times in prison, Watson says he believes that Dryden felt deep remorse for the killing, and had suffered greatly during his time in prison.

However, the brother of Harry Collinson claims that "Not once did he [Albert Dryden] show any remorse, culpability, or regret for what he had done."

Mr Collison recalled having received four letters from Dryde during his time in prison, yet described all received correspondence as "ravings of a madman."

Asked whether Dryden's death would bring comfort to his family, Mr Collinson commented that "It's over", but "Good riddance to the man."