Woman jailed over feud e-bike crash murder

A woman who murdered a motorcyclist by mowing him down in a Range Rover has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years.

Zoe Treadwell, 36, chased and struck electric motorbike rider Joey Johnstone, 28, on 9 April in Bournemouth as part of an ongoing feud.

She was also convicted of the attempted murder of her former partner Joshua Lovell and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Free Jenkins in a second incident on 1 May.

Jonjay Harrison, 25, who was also convicted on charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm against Lovell and Jenkins, was jailed for 32 years.

The trial heard Treadwell travelled at speeds averaging between 66mph and 75mph in pursuit of two bikes that were ridden "flat out" by Johnstone and another man, Danny Singleton at about 02:00 BST, before the fatal collision in South Kinson Drive.

Johnston was thrown from his bike, suffering a head injury, and he died at the scene.

The trial heard there had been a long-running feud between Treadwell and Lovell's associates.

In the May incident, Harrison, in a Mercedes C180 car, pursued Lovell and his pillion passenger Jenkins on their Caofen F80 electric motorcycle, before hitting them.

Lovell suffered multiple injuries and Jenkins had to have his left leg amputated above the knee.

Sentencing Treadwell at Winchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Linden said Johnstone had been "goading" her by "cycling in circles" outside her house and she used her car as a "weapon".

"You were totally indifferent as to whether Joey Johnstone lived or died, you made no attempt to assist him or summon assistance for him," he said.

He said Harrison was described as "smiling" during the pursuit and had been paid £1,000 for his involvement.

Alisdair Williamson KC, defending Treadwell, said the incidents resulted from an "ongoing feud between two criminal gangs" which she had been "dragged into".

The sentences were greeted with cheers and applause from people in the public gallery, with one woman shouting out: "May you rot in hell, Zoe, you skank."

In a statement released through police, Johnston's partner, Sophie Quinn, said: "No amount of time will ever bring our Joe back, but we can try and move forward now that justice has been served.

"We can put this to bed and finally grieve as a family after these heart-breaking painful nine months.

"Joey will be forever loved, and missed by myself, his parents Tony and Michelle, his three beautiful children, and his other family and friends."

Det Insp Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police Major Crime Investigation Team, said: "Both collisions involved young men being pursued on electric motorbikes around residential streets in Bournemouth simply because of a dispute which had occurred between two groups of associates.

"We are pleased that Treadwell and Harrison are now behind bars and facing justice for their despicable offending.

"Our thoughts remain with Joey Johnstone's partner, children, and the rest of his family and friends."