TWO MEN have been jailed for a combined total of eight years after helping a man escape from the scene of a murder.

Preston Crown Court heard how Paul Swift and Reece Hignett had been paid to pick up Daniel Bamford, knowing he had stabbed someone from Darwen.

But the court heard neither man knew the 18-year-old had killed Michael Keen at his home in Hazel Avenue when they were dispatched to Darwen by the drugs gang Bamford was a part of at around 4pm on August 25.

Prosecutor Francis McEntee told the court that after Bamford had left Hazel Avenue he called the alleged leader of the Merseyside drugs gang, a man referred to only as Brian, asking for help. He then received a text saying ‘hide somewhere lad. I’m coming’.

It is at that point heroin addict Swift and cannabis user Hignett were dispatched from a flat in Greenfields, St Helens, as nobody else in the gang was prepared to do it, the court heard.

For that getaway driver Swift was paid £40 and Hignett, who was given a mobile phone to keep in contact with Bamford, received two bags of skunk.

The court heard a Vauxhall Agila was picked up by automatic number plate recognition cameras to and from Darwen, as well as on CCTV cameras, and Hignett’s mobile phone was picked up on various cell sights.

Mr McEntee said once the men arrived in Darwen there was a large police presence so they instead arranged to meet Bamford at Charnock Richard Services.

The court heard Bamford was taken back to the flat in Greenfields and Hignett played no further role in the incident. But at that stage, having known Bamford’s altercation had resulted in a death, Swift took his co-defendant to his grandmother’s house for a change of clothes.

Bamford and Hignett were arrested on August 26 and Swift the following day.

Swift, 44, of Hinckley Road in St Helens, and Hignett, 18, of Kimberley Avenue in St Helens, both pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.

Defending Swift, Raquel Simpson said: “My client did ultimately plead guilty. He is remorseful.”

Defending Hignett, Alison Whalley said: “My client feels terrible and he is very sorry.”

Judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Peter Fraser, said: “You were each paid to go and collect Daniel Bamford.

“You each could have refused to go.”

Swift was jailed for 52 months and Hignett was sent to a young offender’s institution for 30 months.

Bamford, of Harvey Lane, Golborne, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Keen will be sentenced at a later date after the defence requested psychologist and pre-sentence reports.