‘I HOPE THEY SUFFER FOREVER'
Mum of shallow grave murder victim hit sou after killer gets life and his accomplice is jail
The mother of a man who was strangled and left to die in a shallow grave said she hopes those responsible for his death ‘suffer every minute of every day, forever’.
Darren Bonner, 24, from Sunderland, was found naked and unresponsive in a the grave behind a dry stone wall at Cresswell, Northumberland, in July last year.
GaragebossRichardSpottiswoodwasconvictedofmurdering Mr Bonner and yesterday told he must serve at least 22 years of a life sentence.
The court heard Spottiswood “choked the life” from Mr Bonner – believing he had doubled-crossed him, and dumping him in a shallow grave, hidden in woodland, while he was still alive.
Mr Bonner had suffered irreversible brain damage and never regained consciousness before dying 16 days later.
Spottiswood, 34, of Canterbury Way, Jarrow, denied murder, but was found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial. At a sentencing hearing at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, Judge Stephen Ashurst said he must serve a minimum of 22 years of a life sentence before he can apply for parole.
During his trial, Tim RobertsQC,prosecuting,saidSpottiswoodranalegitimategarage business in South Shields, where Mr Bonner worked and that they were involved in cannabis dealing.
Mr Roberts said: “Richard Spottiswood had become suspicious that someone had been leaking information about his operations to a rival drug dealer.”
Spottiswood’s girlfriend, Lucy Burn, 30, from South Shields, was also jailed for 30 months, after admitting assisting an offender.
Mr Bonner’s mum Louise Tumilty said her son was a “lovely, friendly,character”,butalsovulnerable and easily led, as he was loyal and trusting.
Ms Tumilty said: “My beautiful, strong man was so small and weak and hurt. We had hope for the first seven days, then we got the talk. After the talk, the machines were turned off. Darren wasn’t ready to leave. He fought for nine days.”
Sheadded:“Hewasnothreat to those who destroyed his and ourlives.Ihopetheysufferevery minute of every day forever for doing this, as I am.”
“My Darren was a beautiful soul and would go out of his way to help people, especially his friends, who he thought of asfamily.Hewantedtofitinand belong.Hehadsomanyfriends in so many places.
“Our family miss him so much. There’s not a day when I don’t think of Darren.”
Mr Roberts had earlier told thehearing:“Themotiveforthe attack was revenge, following discovery that Darren Bonner had betrayed Richard Spottiswoodtoarivaldrugdealer.That is a powerful motive.”
The pair went on a caravan holidayatCresswell,withSpottiswood’s then-girlfriend Lucy Burn, 30, of Burns Close, South Shields. She told the police Mr Bonner had simply “disappeared” the morning after he rowed with Spottiswood.
MrRobertssaid:“According to Lucy Burn, there was a horrible argument between Richard Spottiswood and Darren Bonner in the caravan. Richard Spottiswood was accusing Darren Bonner of spying on him to find out where drugs and money were.
“After the argument, according to Lucy Burn, it all went quiet.Bothofthemwereallright andshewenttobed.Inthemorning,DarrenBonner,accordingto her, had disappeared.”
JudgeStephenAshurstsaid Spottiswood, who he called a “significant producer of cannabis in South Tyneside”, must serveaminimumof22yearsbehind bars before he can apply for parole.
He said Mr Bonner suffered an“untimely,violentandundignified death” after the attack.
Judge Ashurst said Spottiswood must have become aware Mr Bonner was still, barely, clinging to life and breathing when he dumped him in the grave, and that is why his body was uncovered.
The judge told him: “Even you, Richard Spottiswood, were not prepared to bury him alive.”
JudgeAshurstsaidMrBonner’s death has had a devastating impact on those close to him: “It would take a person with a heart of stone not to be moved by the sense of loss experienced by his mother. By your actions, Richard Spottiswood, he was deprived, at such a young age, of making something of his life.”
Burn was originally jointly charged with his murder, but was cleared of involvement, and pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.
The judge said her lies in the early stages of the investigation “hampered the police in getting to the truth”.
He sentenced her to 30 months behind bars, telling her: “You provided help in trying to cover up a dreadful crime.”