Man jailed over crime spree committed on 16th anniversary of father's brutal murder

Brian Redman discovered his dad, who had been tied to a chair and strangled with rope, on February 27, 2005 and has found the terrible ordeal "very difficult to cope with".

Newcastle Crown Court heard exactly 16 years after the tragedy, the 38-year-old stole a mountain bike from a locked garage in Cleadon, which he used to ride around looking for a car he could take.

When no vehicle could be easily found, Redman broke into a house in the village and stole a handbag, ornaments and car keys to a Skoda Octavia.

When police spotted him driving the stolen motor at 80mph on Prince Edward Road, South Shields, which has a 30mph limit, he was followed.

Prosecutor Jane Foley told the court Redman went through red lights, went straight across roundabouts and the stolen vehicle appeared to be "out of control" until he finally crashed into a garden fence.

The court heard Redman was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital after the smash, where he tried to spit at a police officer and hurdled vile racist abuse.

Redman, of Lichfield Road, Sunderland, admitted two charges of burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, assault on an emergency worker and racially aggravated harassment.

The court heard Redman was on a suspended sentence at the time of the offences and has 172 previous convictions on his record.

Glenn Gatland, defending, said: "On February 27 2005 he discovered his father had been murdered. He had been tied to a chair, he had been strangled with a rope and the defendant went into the house and discovered his father's body there.

"The murderer has subsequently been sent to Rampton, where he is still detained.

"He has found it very difficult to cope with.

"When he anniversary of his father's death comes around he has very great difficulty coping."

Mr Gatland said Redman's difficulties were worsened this year due to the coronavirus lockdown and added: "He sought, on this night, to resolve to try to take a car to crash it and kill himself.

"He was very distressed."

Mr Gatland said Redman is sorry for his behaviour.

Mr Recorder Shakil Najib sentenced Redman to a total of three years behind bars for the offences plus a further ten weeks to be activated from the previous suspended jail term, with a 30 month road ban.

The judge said he accepted Redman's mental health had been affected by the loss of his father and his sense of "loss and stress" is exacerbated around the anniversary.

But the judge added: "Your lengthy criminal history pre-dates your father's murder.

"I accept February will be a particularly difficult time but your lengthy criminal history shows no pattern of particular offending on or around February.

"There are offences at all times of the year, in all different months of the year."

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