Peterborough shotgun murderer's gran and aunt who tried to help killer escape jailed

The gran and aunt of a Peterborough murderer have been jailed after they tried to help him escape justice.

Lewis Hutchinson phoned gran Diane Riley on the morning after he shot and killed drug dealer Mihai Dobre in Crabtree, Paston on April 13 last year.

Hutchinson had plotted to rob Mr Dobre – but shot and killed him in the street.

Killer called gran from phone box

After shooting Mr Dobre in the head, Hutchinson ran to a nearby traveller’s site where he hid for a few hours, before getting a taxi to the city centre and drinking in a pub.

Then, from a phone box in Peterborough city centre, he told Riley he had been ‘a bad boy’ and had ‘hurt someone’, asking her to come and pick him up and take him to Skegness.

Riley, along with her daughter – Hutchinson’s aunt, Jeanie Stewart, 45, of Waddington Way, Skegness, – drove down to Peterborough to collect Hutchinson.

Hutchinson told gran ‘he won’t go to heaven’

Peterborough Crown Court heard that Riley told police Hutchinson had cried in the car on the way to Skegness. Riley told police she had asked why he was crying, and he had told her: “He just said he won’t go to heaven. He’s a Catholic.”

Riley told police that when they arrived in Skegness said: “He just went off to the beach, did his own thing. Went for a long walk.”

The pair also provided Hutchinson with new clothing and trainers, and helped dispose of the items worn at the time of the offence.

But police were already on Hutchinson’s tail, and armed police arrived at Riley’s home on the evening of April 14, where he was arrested.

Pair jailed for nine months

Today (July 7) Riley (65) of Spirewic Avenue, Skegness, and Stewart appeared at Peterborough Crown Court where they were jailed after pleading guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Both were given nine month jail sentences by Judge Sean Enright.

The court heard defence counsel for both defendants say they were not aware of the offence committed by Hutchinson when they agreed to help him – a fact that was not disputed by the prosecution.

Both barristers called for suspended sentences to be imposed.

David Eager, defending Riley said that in a pre sentence report, prepared before Hutchinson’s trial, she had said she would do anything to help her grandson.

But after following the case in the press, her opinion had changed. He said: “She now says that seeing a photo of a victim, and following the case through the press, she has seen a photo of the deceased, and realised he was just a young man, and the devastating impact the offence must have had on his family.

"She said ‘If I could turn back and change what I had done, I would. If I could go and speak to the family of the deceased, and apologise and hug them I would. They are a family devastated by my grandson.”

Jeremy James, defending Stewart, said his client thought Hutchinson had been involved in a ‘domestic’ incident.

He said that no other people were implicated in the offence, and all she had done was drive the car to Peterborough and back.

However, Judge Enright said that despite strong mitigation, it was in the public interest to impose immediate prison sentences, to act as a deterrent to others.

The court has previously heard how on the night of April 13, Hutchinson and Christopher Pycroft had plotted to rob Mr Dobre when he came to deliver drugs to them.

But rather than just threaten the dealer, who arrived in his car, Hutchinson had used a shotgun, firing it at Mr Dobre’s head.

Mr Dobre died in his car, with his partner sat next to him.

Hutchinson denied murder, claiming the gun had gone off accidentally, but was found guilty at trial earlier this year.

Other sentences handed out in case

Last month, Hutchinson (30) of Eastern Avenue, Dogsthorpe, was given a life sentence, with a minimum of 31 years behind bars.

Pycroft (40) of Crabtree, who admitted conspiracy to commit robbery, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at the same court on 9 May. He had given crucial evidence during the trial which helped bring Hutchinson to justice.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Richard Stott, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit, said: “This is a tragic case where a father, son and partner has lost his life after getting involved in supplying drugs.

“While firearms offences are extremely rare in this county, and even more so fatal firearms offences, sadly we see all too often people losing their lives or being seriously injured through drug-related violence.”