A woman who hunted down an e-bike rider and killed him with her Range Rover has been jailed for life.
Zoe Treadwell, 36, was convicted by a jury at Winchester Crown Court of the murder of Joey Johnstone, 28, on April 9 2025 in Bournemouth, Dorset, as part of a feud. She must serve at least 35 years.
Dorset Police said Mr Johnstone was targeted in a case of mistaken identity, with the intended victim being Treadwell’s former partner, Joshua Lovell.
Treadwell was also convicted of the attempted murder of Mr Lovell and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Free Jenkins in a second incident on May 1.
Jonjay Harrison, 25, was convicted of the same charges against Mr Lovell and Mr Jenkins in the May 1 incident. He pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place and was jailed for 32 years.
A still from CCTV shows Zoe Treadwell driving her Range Rover behind Joey Johnstone on an e-bike – Dorset Police/Solent News and Photo Agency
The sentences were greeted with cheers and applause from the public gallery, with one woman shouting: “May you rot in hell, Zoe!”
Sophie Quinn, who had two children with Mr Johnstone, said in a victim impact statement that she was heartbroken by his death and had since suffered anxiety.
She wrote: “On April 9 our lives changed for the worse, Joey innocently going out for a bike ride in the evening to never return home, my soulmate taken away from me forever.”
Mr Johnstone’s mother, Michelle Rush, said: “I never knew what true love was until I gave birth to my perfect son.” She said he had grown into a “beautiful man with the biggest heart”.
Sentencing Treadwell, Mr Justice Linden, said that the incident happened after Mr Johnstone had goaded Treadwell by “cycling in circles” outside her house.
Joey Johnstone was said to have ‘goaded’ Treadwell by riding his e-bike in circles in front of her home – PA
He said: “[Johnstone] was much-loved by his family. His death has had a devastating effect on them and the three children, who have been left fatherless.
“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 that Harrison had been described as “smiling and smiling” during the pursuit and had been paid £1,000 for his involvement.
Alisdair Williamson KC, defending Treadwell, said that the incidents resulted from an “ongoing feud between two criminal gangs” which she had been “dragged into”.
He added: “This was a woman in her own home who was under attack.”
He said that Treadwell, who had worked as a healthcare assistant and in security, had been suffering from PTSD, depression and anxiety and had also been diagnosed with ADHD.
Mr Williamson added that she had written to the court to express her “sincere sorrow for all that has happened”.
Nicholas Hagan KC, defending Harrison, said that he had made a “last-minute” decision to collide with the e-bike and had not set out that evening with an intention to kill and felt “genuine remorse”.
Joey Johnstone was killed by Treadwell, while two other men suffered serious injuries, with one having his leg amputated – Solent News
He said that the defendant had become involved in the feud after hearing about his co-defendant being “terrorised by a gang of others”.
Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, said the Range Rover had averaged between 66mph and 75mph in pursuit of e-bikes ridden “flat out” by Mr Johnstone and another man, Danny Singleton, who was not injured.
Ms Jones said that in the May incident, Harrison, in a Mercedes C180 car, pursued Mr Lovell and his pillion passenger, Mr Jenkins, on their Caofen F80 electric motorcycle, before colliding with them.
Ms Jones said: “His journey becomes a grim chase. There was no escape.”
She said that Mr Lovell suffered multiple rib fractures, a thoracic vertebrae fracture and a wound to his left thigh and groin, and Mr Jenkins had his left leg amputated above the knee.
