Ingleby Barwick dad and son ‘mowed down group with van’

The accused murderers then abandoned the “heavily damaged” van before going home via a “circuitous route”, during which Martin Breeze discarded his phone.

They then called police to report the van being stolen, Mr Dry said, but officers “quickly unpicked” their claim.

A woman suffered life-threatening injuries and two others had multiple broken bones.

When arrested, Martin Breeze told police he had been “off his tree” after spending the night taking cocaine and alcohol, and his van was stolen with his mobile phone in.

Shaun Breeze, who the court heard has an autism diagnosis, made no reply in his interview.

Martin Breeze later told prison guards he was in the van but it was a “tragic accident”, Mr Dry said, but the prosecutor said that was implausible.

Mr Dry said it would have been the “coincidence of all coincidences” if the Breezes had “accidentally run over the very people with whom Shaun Breeze had conflicted”.

He also said it would have been “outrageous misfortune” if Martin Breeze, who had been “summonsed to the rescue by his son”, had “innocently and inexplicably” lost control of his van at the very spot where the group were.

Mr Dry said the van was examined but no defects which could have caused it to crash were found.