A woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder after deliberately using her car as a weapon to hunt down and kill an e-bike rider in a horrific case of mistaken identity.
Feud leads to fatal chase
Zoe Treadwell, 36, was convicted by a jury at Winchester Crown Court for the murder of 28-year-old Joey Johnstone. The fatal incident occurred on the evening of 9 April 2025 in Bournemouth, Dorset.
Dorset Police confirmed that Mr Johnstone was an innocent victim, targeted in error. The court heard the attack stemmed from an ongoing feud, with Treadwell's intended victim believed to be her former partner, Joshua Lovell.
Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC described two "horrific collisions" where cars were driven "deliberately and with shocking aggression" into young men on e-bikes. She stated the men were pursued around Bournemouth streets before being rammed.
A weaponised vehicle and a grim pursuit
During the April incident, Treadwell used her Range Rover to pursue Mr Johnstone and another man, Danny Singleton. Data showed the vehicle reached speeds between 66mph and 75mph while chasing the e-bikes ridden "flat out".
Mr Justice Linden, sentencing, said Treadwell had used the car as a "weapon" after Mr Johnstone had been "goading" her by cycling outside her home. He stated she was "totally indifferent as to whether Joey Johnstone lived or died" and made no attempt to help him.
Joey Johnstone died from a traumatic head injury. In a second incident on 1 May, Treadwell was also convicted of the attempted murder of Joshua Lovell and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Free Jenkins.
Co-defendant and devastating impact
Jonjay Harrison, 25, was convicted for his role in the May attack and pleaded guilty to possessing a knife. He was jailed for 32 years. The judge noted Harrison was described as "smiling and smiling" during the pursuit and was paid £1,000 for his involvement.
The sentences prompted cheers from the public gallery, with one woman shouting, "May you rot in hell Zoe, you skank."
In a victim impact statement, Sophie Quinn, the mother of Mr Johnstone's two children, said she was "heartbroken". "Our lives changed for the worse," she said. "Joey innocently going out for a bike ride in the evening to never return home."
His mother, Michelle Rush, told the court: "I never knew what true love was until I gave birth to my perfect son," describing him as a "beautiful man with the biggest heart".
The judge acknowledged the "devastating effect" on the family and the three children left fatherless, noting no sentence could console them for their loss.
Defence arguments and remorse
Alisdair Williamson KC, defending Treadwell, argued the incidents resulted from an "ongoing feud between two criminal gangs" she was "dragged into". He said Treadwell, a former healthcare assistant, suffered from PTSD, depression, anxiety, and ADHD, and had expressed "sincere sorrow".
Nicholas Hagan KC, for Harrison, said his client made a "last-minute" decision to collide with the e-bike and felt "genuine remorse". He claimed Harrison got involved after hearing Treadwell was being "terrorised by a gang".
In the May attack, Harrison, in a Mercedes, pursued Mr Lovell and pillion passenger Mr Jenkins on an electric motorcycle. Mr Lovell suffered multiple rib fractures and a spinal injury, while Mr Jenkins had his left leg amputated above the knee.
