KILLERS’ HELPER JAILED
A driver has been put behind bars for helping the killers of a takeaway boss who was gunned down as he worked at his shop.
Jason Errington gave a lift to Michael McDougall and Michael Mullen so they could “lie low” after the murder of Sunderland dad-of-two Tipu Sultan at his family-run Herbs & Spice takeaway, in South Shields, in April 2015.
A driver has been put behind bars for helping the killers of a takeaway boss who was gunned down as he worked at his shop.
Jason Errington gave a lift to Michael McDougall and Michael Mullen so they could “lie low” after the murder of dad-of-two Tipu Sultan at his family-run Herbs & Spice takeaway, in South Shields in April 2015.
Mr Sultan, who lived in Sunderland, died after being blasted in the neck with a sawn-off shotgun by murderer McDougall.
The gunman had been taken to and from the scene by getaway driver Michael Mullen on the back of a motorbike, which was later found burnt out.
Newcastle Crown Court heard within six minutes of the murder, Errington, 44, had been contacted by the killers, asking for help.
He travelled from his home in Jarrow, collected the killers from a house in Whitburn, where they were hiding the motorbike and gun, and drove them to a house two-and-a-half miles away, in South Shields.
Errington, formerly of Lulworth Avenue, Jarrow, pleaded guilty to two charges of assisting an offender with intent to impede their apprehension or prosecution, on the basis he did not realise the McDougall and Mullen had been involved in a killing and the men did not have the gun with them when he gave them a lift.
Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan told the court Errington’s involvement set back the investigation. He said: “An officer involved said, which involves an element of speculation, that she suggested it could have added a month to the time it took to actually identify McDougall and Mullen.”
Mr Justice Males jailed Errington, who the court heard has been a frequent visitor to McDougall in Durham Jail, for two years.
Barry Robson, defending, said Errington is not heavily convicted and had been at home when he received the call for help.
Mr Robson said: “He had no knowledge at all of what the offence was they committed, but it was quite obvious in the time he spent with them that something had gone on.”
At a previous hearing McDougall, 47, of Hylton Avenue, South Shields was jailed for 34 years after being found guilty of Mr Sultan’s murder as well as two charges of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Mullen, 24, of Hawthorne Avenue, South Shields, was cleared of murder, jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of manslaughter.
“It could have added a month to the time to identify them” GRAHAM O’SULLIVAN