A young woman is paying for her misguided loyalty to her killer boyfriend, acting as the getaway driver after he took part in the fatal beating of a man in his own home.

Millie Bradley, who was 18 at the time, drove Lewis Armstrong both to Ross Connelly’s home in Alexandra Terrace, Wheatley Hill, in her Nissan Juke and then away from the scene at speed after the merciless beating of the victim in the early hours of May 1, last year.

She remained in touch with Armstrong, allowing him to use her phone as well as providing him with contact numbers for his new mobile phone in the aftermath of the killing, before she was arrested on May 3.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Armstrong remained at large until handing himself in to police three weeks later, when he denied involvement in the fatal beating of Mr Connelly.

Both Armstrong, 18, and co-accused Harvey Hughes, 20, denied murder of Mr Connelly and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, relating to an earlier attack on another man, prior to the killing.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

But they were convicted of both after trial at the court last October.

They each received life sentences at the sentencing hearing in November, with a minimum 24 years to serve for Armstrong, of Dixon Estate, Shotton Colliery, and 26 years for Hughes, of Girton Walk, Peterlee.

Bradley, now 20, of Beech Grove, Trimdon Grange, denied assisting an offender, but changed her plea shortly into her trial.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Her counsel, Jane Foley, told Wednesday’s (September 11) sentencing hearing that Bradley was immature at the time and “totally naïve”.

Miss Foley said the defendant would not have had the strength of character to refuse to help her boyfriend, and made what she described as, “the worst decision of her life”, in agreeing to drive him away.

The court heard that the defendant, who worked at a beauty salon, while attending college, lost her job in the light of the incident.

Judge Robert Adams told Bradley he accepted she may have felt “under pressure” to help her boyfriend, adding that “misguided loyalty may have played a part”.

Imposing a 27-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, Judge Adams said it would have been inconceivable that she would have been unaware, “something terrible had occurred” in the aftermath of the “relentless beating” meted out by her boyfriend and his co-accused, on Mr Connelly.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

The 46-year-old victim, who was alcohol dependent, with mobility issues and almost housebound, died from multiple injuries suffered by up to 40 blows, thought to have been struck using a metal pole.

He was found badly beaten by his landlord later on the day of the attack.

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The murder trial of his two accused was told the motive for the attack arose over alleged social media slurs about Armstrong’s mother, posted by Mr Connelly, her cousin, the previous day (April 30, 2023).

Armstrong is said to have recruited Hughes, and possibly others, to accompany him in the revenge punishment beating, with resulted in the victim’s death.

They met at Peterlee Bus Station, before travelling in convoy, including Armstrong in Bradley's Nissan car, to Wheatley Hill, where the attack took place in the early hours of May 1, 2023.