Stephen Bonallie, 32, was released early from prison but died when he crashed his car into a tree (Picture: PA/Durham Constabulary)

A murderer who served 14 years in prison for killing a disabled man ‘for sport’ died in a car crash on New Year’s Eve.

Stephen Bonallie, 32, died in the early hours of Saturday after the silver Audi A6 he was travelling in collided with a tree along the A167 in County Durham.

In 2007, Bonallie was part of a gang of three young men who killed Brent Martin in Sunderland after betting £5 which one of them could ‘knock him out’ first.

They kicked and stamped on the 23-year-old before leaving him to die in a pool of blood with his pants around his ankles.

Brent, who had learning difficulties, pleaded with his attackers not to hurt him as he believed they were his friends.

In 2008, ringleader William Hughes, then aged 22, was jailed for 22 years for Martin’s murder, while accomplice Marcus Miller, then aged 16, was jailed for 15 years.

Bonallie, then aged 17, received an 18-year sentence but he was released last year after making ‘exceptional and unforeseen’ progress in prison.

Brent Martin, 23, died in 2007 after he was attacked over a £5 bet by three thugs who challenged each other to see who could knock him out first (Picture: Ross Parry)

Brent Martin’s twin Danielle Flynn, 32, said she felt mixed emotions upon learning of the death of her brother’s killer (Picture: Ross Parry)

After hearing the news of Bonallie’s death, Brent’s twin sister, Danielle Flynn, wrote in a social media post: ‘This is Stephen Bonallie, one of the three who murdered my twin brother.

‘This year, when he was released I spent it upset, angry he was getting to start his life again when he was a big part in my brother losing his.

‘However I found out yesterday morning in disbelief that he died in a car accident. I spent the day with mixed emotions, happy, sad, gutted etc…. 

‘God works in mysterious ways and I think it comes to us all. I guess it’s because I’m human I know what it feels like to lose a brother and my mother knows what it feels like to lose a son so condolences to his family.’

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Bonallie was travelling along the A167 between Whitesmocks and Sniperley when it crashed.

Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at hospital.

Another man in his 30s, who was also in the car, remains in a critical condition.

Stephen Bonallie was just 17 when he was sentenced to 18 years in prison (Picture: PA)

Bonallie was released from prison early after a judge said he had made exceptional progress (Picture: Durham Constabulary)

Brent’s mother, Brenda Martin, said the death of her son’s killer was an act of God.

‘It’s very sad for both families. Jesus works in funny ways. Stephen Bonallie was punished, which is only right,’ the 77-year-old said.

‘He was punished by someone higher up. I was told about Stephen’s death through my children.

‘My daughter posted about it online saying how sorry she was for the heartache it brought his parents.

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‘He did a bad thing but people don’t forget. You learn to live with what happened, you’ve got to.

‘The pain never goes away, it’s been 15 years since he died. Brent is with us every day in many ways.’

Bonallie’s family released a statement saying he was a much loved son, brother, boyfriend, nephew, uncle, brother-in-law and cousin and will be sadly missed.

At his appeal hearing in 2016, a judge said Bonallie had done all he could to rehabilitate himself and had shown himself to be a ‘mature’ person who helped other inmates.

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Stephen Bonaille was jailed for 18 years for the sickening murder of Brent Martin in 2007 but was released early on good behaviour.