Father and son convicted of killing Brian Darby in revengeful hit and run

Martin and Shaun Breeze mowed down and killed Brian as well as seriously injuring other pedestrians in Ingleby Barwick.

On the evening of Friday 9 February Brian, a 17-year-old boy, two men, aged 25 and 27, and a 50-year-old woman were walking home after enjoying a night out at a café-bar when Shaun, aged 29, barged through them while riding a bike.

When they remonstrated with him, Shaun gave the impression he was carrying a knife. The three men then gave chase and he collided with another pedestrian and fell off his bike.

He then proceeded to run away on foot while making a telephone call to his father.

Martin, aged 57, who at the time was at home on Owls Grove in Ingleby Barwick, then set off in his van and was captured on CCTV driving at speed to pick up his son.

The pair then drove along Myton Way and upon spotting the group of friends, left the carriageway, mounting a grass verge, ploughing across a cycle path before deliberately mowing them down on the footpath.

The impact caused the windscreen to shatter and one of the victims to be thrown in the air.

Brian was carried on the front of the bonnet before falling on to the carriageway some distance from the impact. The 60-year-old sadly passed away at the roadside despite the best efforts of passers-by, police and paramedics.

The woman sustained life-threatening injuries while the teenager, and another man also suffered serious injuries that required hospital treatment.

Meanwhile the Breeze’s had returned the van to the road and fled the scene. They abandoned the heavily damaged van, arrived back at their home, and contacted the police to report the vehicle as stolen.

What followed was a detailed police investigation by Cleveland Police’s HMET that quickly unpicked their version of events, and they were both arrested at an address on Irthing Close, Ingleby Barwick.

During interview, Martin said he had been up all night, drinking alcohol and taking drugs and that his telephone had been in the van when it was stolen overnight. Shaun gave a similar account to his father, he stated he had only been out that night to sell his bicycle to a local cocaine dealer and didn’t know the van had been stolen until the morning.

Detectives viewed hours of CCTV footage, spoke to a variety of witnesses as well as gathering vital evidence including telecoms and forensic enquiries that led to both Martin and Shaun being charged.

The pair pleaded not guilty to the murder of Brian, the attempted murder of four other people and perverting the course of justice.

On Thursday 25 July a jury found Martin guilty of murder, attempted murder and perverting the course of justice. Shaun was found guilty of manslaughter, four counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and perverting the course of justice following a trial at Teesside Crown Court. They will be sentenced on Friday 2 July.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Matt Hollingsworth, from Cleveland Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Angry with what had taken place Martin used the van as a weapon to deliberately drive at the group pointed out by Shaun. The consequences of this senseless act has had a devastating impact on so many people.

“It led to Brian, a well-liked and well-known man in the area he lived, losing his life. He had been enjoying a night out with friends who were all in high spirits as they began walking home. Tragically, that came to end when Shaun barged into them.

“What unfolded next was purely an act of revenge that resulted in murder. The pair then going on to lie and deceive police in an attempt to conceal their crime. However, following swift investigative work we were able to unpick their version of events and build an evidential case that ultimately led to justice for Brian, the other people injured that night and their family.

“I would like to express my sincere condolences to Brian’s family and friends. It has been an incredibly difficult time for them, and everyone involved in what happened that night. I hope they can in some way start to rebuild their lives after the pain they have all gone through.”

Following the verdict, Brian’s family said: “Today’s verdict brings some satisfaction for our family and will hopefully serve as some justice for Brian. It goes without saying that it will not bring our Brian back, nor lessen the pain and anguish we have suffered in losing him and we will continue to suffer forever. 

“We would like to thank the members of the public who shared information with the police and those who did everything they could to try and save Brian that night. It gives us comfort to know that there are still kind and caring people in our community, a stark contrast to those who took his life away and through their denials put our family through the pain of a trial in order to save themselves. For those individuals we have no words.”