Heartbroken family of Teesside grandfather Brian Darby speak out

Brian Darby’s life was cruelly cut short when a drugged-up Martin Breeze jumped behind the wheel of his van and raced to find his son, Shaun, who had been involved in a minor altercation with a group of friends.

The 60-year-old was left for dead in the road as the father and son fled to scene before later abandoning the van and reporting it stolen to the police.

Brian Darby (Image: Family handout)

Teesside Crown Court heard how 57-year-old Breeze deliberately left the carriageway, hunting him and the others down, across a grass verge and cycle path and then on to the footpath where he was struck, remaining on the vehicle for 150m.

Jurors heard how three other people suffered serious injuries after the van ploughed into them as the walked home from the 3 Rivers pub in Ingleby Barwick on February 9 this year.

Martin Breeze was found guilty of Mr Darby’s murder while his son, Shaun, was convicted of his manslaughter.

The faces of father and son killers, Martin and Shaun Breeze (Image: Cleveland Police)

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.”

Brian Darby (Image: Family handout)

Cleveland Police used CCTV footage to trace the movements of the white van as it made its way through Ingleby Barwick as Breeze Snr looked for his son.

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Within moments of picking him up, the pair targeted the group of friends as they walked along Myton Way, ploughing into them before fleeing the scene at speed.

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 an end when Shaun – who we believe was out peddling drugs in the area – 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.”