East Cleveland man to be sentenced after admitting to manslaughter

A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Teesside Crown Court following the death of Christopher Kay in Carlin How.

The 58-year-old was shot dead in East Cleveland in August.

Jamie Hellings, who's 32, will be sentenced on 27th November.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dimelow said:

“The reckless behaviour of Jamie Hellings in August resulted in the tragic death of Christopher Kay.

“Today, Hellings has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. His mindless actions have had a devastating and life-changing impact on Christopher’s much loved relatives and friends.

“Being in the possession of a firearm in a public place is a huge risk in itself, but to have a loaded and dangerous weapon in close vicinity to others is beyond belief, and as we have seen here, this resulted in Christopher’s life being cruelly and prematurely taken away.

“Although no sentence will ever bring Chris back to his family, I hope that the conclusion will hopefully provide his family with some level of comfort; knowing that he is reflecting on his crime behind bars.”

Family statement:

"Nearly ten weeks ago our dearly loved Dad was killed, and the ability to see him smile, speak with him and spend time with him was taken away from us. Our Dad will also not have the ability to do the things he enjoyed, see the family that he loved, or have a beer with friends."

"No sentence imposed by the courts would ever be able to bring our Dad back, however, as a result of the dedicated, professional and thorough work carried out by those working on the case, today’s guilty plea is welcomed."

"Our Dad wouldn’t want us to dwell on what has happened, but it would be wrong not to comment on the events that led us here. Through a mindless, and senseless act, our family is now without a father, a grandfather, a brother and an uncle."

"To be taken away from us at 58 years old is no age, but in those 58 years Dad lived a full life. From travelling to Canada to sing with a choir, joining the TA, to following his passion for motorsport and being involved in rallycross and his love of fishing. With that, we also have memories that cannot be taken away which will keep Dad very much alive in our thoughts and hearts."

"Thank you to those at Cleveland Police who have worked tirelessly on the case to bring it to conclusion, as well as those who have supported us during this time."

"We would also like to thank the media for the privacy they have afforded us, and ask that this continues."