Chilling final selfie of three friends taken hours before one ‘choked the life’ from the other

A chilling selfie showing three friends smiling together was taken just hours before one of them ‘choked the life’ from another then dumped his body in a shallow grave.

Richard Spottiswood, his then girlfriend Lucy Burn and their victim Darren Bonner all appear happy and relaxed in the photo taken during a caravan holiday shortly before the murder.

But within hours Spottiswood, 34, had strangled Mr Bonner with a headlock before driving him to a remote seaside beauty spot in Cresswell, Northumberland, and leaving him for dead.

Burn went on to tell police a series of lies to throw them off the scent of what really happened to Mr Bonner.

Richard Spottiswood (left) his then girlfriend Lucy Burn (right) and their victim Darren Bonner (middle) all appear relaxed and happy in the snap taken during a caravan holiday shortly before the murder

Soon after he was dumped Mr Bonner was discovered naked and unresponsive by a walker who was alerted to his presence by ‘very, very loud snoring noises’.

He was pulled from the woodland hole and rushed to hospital, but he died 16 days later. 

Garage boss Spottiswood, who had employed Darren at his business in South Shields, South Tyneside, has now been given a life sentence for the ‘revenge’ killing.

Spottiswood thought he had been ‘double crossed’ by the 24-year-old, from  Sunderland, and deliberately choked him during the family mini-break.

The shallow grave in Cresswell which Darren Bonner was found. He died 16 days later in hospital

The shallow grave in Cresswell which Darren Bonner was found. He died 16 days later in hospital

Prosecutor Tim Roberts QC told Newcastle Crown Court the men had been involved in cannabis dealing together, in a separate, illegal, sideline to the legitimate garage work.

Mr Roberts said: ‘Richard Spottiswood had become suspicious that someone had been leaking information about his operations to a rival drug dealer.

‘The background to this offence is of participation in organised, commercial cultivation and distribution of controlled drugs for profit.

‘The motive for the crime of murder was to silence someone who had informed against Richard Spottiswood to a rival drug dealer.

Darren Bonner's body was found behind a wall in Northumberland with irreversible brain damage that led to his death last July

Darren Bonner's body was found behind a wall in Northumberland with irreversible brain damage that led to his death last July

Darren Bonner’s body was found behind a wall in Northumberland with irreversible brain damage that led to his death last July

‘The motive for the attack was revenge, following discovery that Darren Bonner had betrayed Richard Spottiswood to a rival drug dealer. That is a powerful motive.’

Spottiswood, of Jarrow, denied murder but was convicted by a jury after a trial last month.

His then girlfriend Burn, 30, of South Shields, was with the men on the caravan holiday in July last year but said Mr Bonner had simply ‘disappeared’ the morning after he rowed with Spottiswood.

She had originally been jointly charged with his murder but was cleared of involvement and pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.

Mr Roberts told the court: ‘According to Lucy Burn, there was a horrible argument between Richard Spottiswood and Darren Bonner in the caravan.

The spot of the grave which was identified as being under a tree near a dry stone wall

The spot of the grave which was identified as being under a tree near a dry stone wall

‘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.

‘Both of them were alright and she went to bed, she said.

‘In the morning, Darren Bonner, according to her, had disappeared.’

Burn claimed in her basis of plea that Spottiswood had not allowed her to look in the rear compartment of their van when they left the caravan site early on the morning of July 10.

Richard Spottiswood believed he had been 'double crossed' by his 24-year-old victim

Richard Spottiswood believed he had been ‘double crossed’ by his 24-year-old victim

She said Spottiswood had stopped the van near the site of the grave and was out of the vehicle for ‘about ten minutes’ before he came back ‘really sweaty’.

The court heard the pair had concocted a story about stopping near the burial site for Burn to search for her mobile phone and they avoided police for three days when they returned to South Tyneside.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Bonner’s mother Louise Tumilty said her son was a ‘lovely, friendly, character’ but also vulnerable and easily led as he was loyal and trusting.

Ms Tumilty said when the police came to her door to tell her Darren, who she had ‘had a good old giggle’ with over the phone just days before, had been found severely injured her ‘world imploded’.

The devastated mother, who went to her boy’s bedside in intensive care, said: ‘My beautiful, strong man was so small and weak and hurt.

‘We had hope for the first seven days then we go the talk. After the talk after the machines were turned off, Iw as told five minutes to five hours and my son would pass.

‘Darren wasn’t ready to leave. He fought for a further nine days.

CCTV footage showing Richard Spottiswood load a van with a spade and drive Darren Bonner to his shallow grave

CCTV footage showing Richard Spottiswood load a van with a spade and drive Darren Bonner to his shallow grave

‘His body was so strong but we had to slowly watch him waste away.

‘He surprised everyone with his fight and strength.

‘The nurses called him ‘lion heart’.’

She added: ‘He was no threat to those who destroyed his and our lives.

‘I hope they suffer every minute of every day forever for doing this, as I am.’

Judge Stephen Ashurst said Spottiswood, who had called a ‘significant producer of cannabis in South Tyneside’, must serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars before he can even apply for parole.

The video shows Spottiswood driving away from the caravan park in his white van as he headed to the remote beauty spot

The video shows Spottiswood driving away from the caravan park in his white van as he headed to the remote beauty spot

The judge said Mr Bonner suffered an ‘untimely, violent and undignified death’ after the attack, which happened in the caravan in the hours before he was dumped.

Judge Ashurst said Spottiswood must have become aware that Mr Bonner was stiill, 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.’

Judge Ashurst said Mr Bonner’s death has had a devastating impact on those close to him.

The judge said: ‘It would take a person with a heart of stone not to be moved by the sense of loss experienced by his mother.

Northumbria Police Family Liasion Officer Trevor Whitehead reads a statement on behalf of Darren Bonner's family outside Newcastle Crown Court

Northumbria Police Family Liasion Officer Trevor Whitehead reads a statement on behalf of Darren Bonner’s family outside Newcastle Crown Court

‘She and the extended family suffered the initial shock of learning he had been seriously injured but then to endure the optimism he might, just, survive, then the ultimate low of watching him slowly deteriorating before their eyes.’

Judge Ashurst added: ‘He had had his difficulties and he was vulnerable, impressionable. He wanted to fit in and belong.

Lucy Burn was pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and sentenced to 30 months in jail

Lucy Burn was pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and sentenced to 30 months in jail

‘He was much loved and looked forward to the future.

‘By your actions, Richard Spottiswood, he was deprived, at such a young age, of making something of his life.’

Spottiswood had claimed during the trial he had killed Mr Bonner in self defence during an argument at the freshly dug hole.

Judge Ashurst said he, and the jury, rejected his story outright and said Burn’s account was the most likely version of events that night.

However, he said her lies in the early stages of the investigation ‘hampered the police in getting to the truth’.

The judge sentenced her to 30 months behind bars and told her: ‘You provided help in trying to cover up a dreadful crime.’    

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fairlamb, from Northumbria Police, said: ‘This has been a tragic time for Darren Bonner’s family and my thoughts go out to them. I absolutely have to commend their bravery throughout this ordeal.

‘Even after Spottiswood admitted to choking Darren, he has continued to go on and defend his actions claiming it was an accident.

‘The fact that Darren was left in such a critical condition – barely breathing and lying in a shallow grave – absolutely shows how truly cold and despicable Spottiswood is.

‘Darren was only 24 years old when his life was cruelly taken and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.’

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