Killer Niramax boss Neil Elliott terminated from director roles after manslaughter sentence

Neil Elliott, 44, who was a director of Niramax, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last month after being found guilty of the manslaughter of 39-year-old Michael Phillips in June 2019.

Elliott organised a group of men who went out looking for the thieves who stole his daughter’s Ford Fiesta in a burglary the previous night and ended up at Mr Phillips’ house in Rydal Street where he was viciously attacked and died after suffering more than 50 injuries.

Co-accused Lee Darby, 32, of Ridley Court, was jailed for 23 years after he was convicted of murder.

During the six-week trial at Teesside Crown Court, jurors were told Elliott left school at 16 without any qualifications but went on to form a ‘business empire’.

The court heard he employed around 150 people and lived in a seven-bedroom £1.7m mansion with its own swimming pool, gym and a sauna, in Briarfields Close off Elwick Road.

Now, documents registered with Companies House show that Elliott has had his directorships of Niramax Group Limited and Niramax Holdings Limited terminated on March 31.

Director roles have also been terminated for Nationwide Tyre Disposals Limited, of Tofts Road West, Hartlepool; Seneca Investments and Developments of Harbour Walk, Hartlepool; and SWS Limited of Thomlinson Road, Hartlepool.

The trial heard there were two sides to Elliott; one a supporter of local charities and sports clubs, and another that could be ‘nasty’ and prepared to dish out ‘street justice’.

In a chilling Facebook post after his daughter’s burglary he wrote: “Whoever burgled my daughter’s house last night and took her car – your life is about to change, trust me.”

Sentencing Elliott, Mr Justice Jacobs said Mr Phillips’ murder all resulted from his decision to take the law into his own hands.

The judge said Mr Phillips was “a good person who had his life taken away, within the space of a few minutes in a brutal and barbaric attack”.

He said Mr Phillips had no involvement at all in the burglary.

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