Martin Breeze admits causing death of Brian Darby by dangerous driving but denies murder

A former painter and decorator who is accused of deliberately driving into a group of people - killing one of them - has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Martin Breeze, 57, accepts responsibility for causing Brian Darby's death on 9 February this year, when his work van crashed into a group of friends who were on a footpath, Teesside Crown Court has heard.

Mr Darby, 60, died instantly in the collision on Myton Way in Ingleby Barwick.

Three others were seriously injured and one man narrowly escaped harm.

Breeze denies murder and three counts of attempted murder - but he has now pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He remains on trial for the murder and attempted murder charges.

It is the prosecution's case that Martin Breeze, encouraged from the passenger seat by his son Shaun Breeze, 29, drove over a grass verge and into the group in a revenge attack after he received a panic-stricken phone call from his son.

Shaun Breeze made a late night phone call to his dad to say that some of the group were chasing after him, on his bike. When he came off his push bike, he claims the men continued to chase him.

The group of friends had left the 3 Rivers Bar & Coffee Shop moments earlier, and say that Shaun Breeze cycled into them, which led to two of them chasing him along the footpath.

Martin Breeze had consumed alcohol and cocaine when he set off his White Citroen Berlingo van to pick up his son from outside the nearby Co-op at 11.30pm. The prosecution alleges that Shaun Breeze then pointed out the group to his dad.

Minutes later, CCTV captured the van veering off Myton Way, and onto the adjacent footpath. Brian Darby was carried on the van's bonnet before his body was thrown to the ground. His three friends suffered broken bones in the crash.

It is alleged that Martin and Shaun Breeze abandoned the van and walked home. The next morning they falsely reported the van as stolen and were later arrested on suspicion of murder.

As the trial draws to a close, Martin Breeze pleaded guilty to the lesser charges, when they were formally put to him.

Martin Breeze, of Irthing Close and Shaun Breeze, of Owl's Grove in Ingleby Barwick, continue to deny the murder of Brian Darby, and the attempted murder of three others.

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