Astonishing CCTV showing a father and son fleeing a hit and run which killed a man who had been innocently walking home with friends has been released after the pair were jailed.
Moments after Martin and Shaun Breeze mowed down 60-year-old Brian Darby they were caught on camera racing away in their white van, speeding along with the crumpled bonnet in full view, before lying to police that it had been stolen. Shaun Breeze was heard on a chilling 999 call saying the vehicle had been stolen, telling the operator “Someone’s been killed, I think”.
Today Martin Breeze, 57, was jailed for life for Mr Darby’s murder and must serve at least 32 years, while his son Shaun, 30, was sentenced to 16 years for manslaughter.
Killer who drove into group of friends that argued with his cyclist son is jailed
Martin Breeze was convicted of murder
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Image:
PA)
Shaun Breeze was jailed for manslaughter
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Image:
PA)
A trial at Teesside Crown Court heard Mr Darby, a 17-year-old boy, a 50-year-old woman and two other men were walking home after enjoying a night out at a café-bar when Shaun barged through them while riding a bike.
When the group spoke out, Breeze gave the impression he was carrying a knife. The three men gave chase, Breeze collided with another pedestrian and fell off his bike, before running off while calling his 57-year-old father. Breeze senior was at home when he got the call, but jumped in his van. His movements from home to the scene were caught on various CCTV cameras.
CCTV of the van
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Image:
police handout)
When he found his son, Breeze junior jumped in and the pair spotted the group of friends. They drove the van at them, leaving 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 Darby was killed
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Image:
Cleveland Police)
The van was then spotted on multiple cameras, its bonnet crumpled and the black of the car engine could be seen as the pair race away. Later Shaun tells a 999 operator: “There’s been a crash, with a stolen van and its my dad’s van that’s been stolen. They think it was my dad that was driving it and we just need to clear his name basically.
“They’ve been looking for my dad, they’ve went to my nanna’s at 3 o’clock in the morning, then raided it. There’s been a crash earlier on tonight when the car was stolen, the van, someone’s been killed, I think.”