Michael James: Watch dramatic footage showing moment armed cops force crawling killer out of hiding place

Bradley Hollis, aged 35, died in an incident on Barlow Drive, Stannington, in the early hours of Sunday, March 16, 2025. He was a dad to three daughters and one stepson.

His killer, Michael James, was found guilty of manslaughter, along with a second charge of possessing a bladed article in a public place, yesterday afternoon (October 15, 2025).

The jury spent 13 hours, 42 minutes deliberating, before returning the unanimously guilty verdicts.

James was jailed for 14 years today for the offences, along with an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm carried out against ex-partner Zara Tolley shortly before he killed Mr Hollis.

James and Ms Tolley continued to share a family home together with their children despite their relationship having broken down.

Violence flared when Mr Hollis arrived at the property. He was in a relationship with Ms Tolley.

During the course of the trial, jurors heard how James, aged 45, left the house a short time after inflicting the fatal wounds, and took a phone being used by Ms Tolley with him.

Police used data from the phone to trace James to Rivelin Valley Park, and armed officers were subsequently dispatched and found him “hiding” in a small outbuilding.

Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Woodward, Senior Investigating Officer in the case, said: "Michael James inflicted unsurvivable injuries on Bradley immediately fleeing the scene.

"However, his decision to take a phone from the scene of the crime proved crucial in finding the killer.

“Within minutes of officers arriving at the scene, we were made aware of James being in possession of the phone and this allowed officers to track his location to the Rivelin Valley area."

Opening the prosecution case, Richard Thyne KC said Mr James and Ms Tolley had been in a relationship for around 10 to 11 years, during which they had two children, and had planned to marry in 2024.

However, instead of marrying, the pair split up last year, but Mr James continued living at the family home, until the date of the fatal incident.

During 2024, Ms Tolley also started a new relationship with Mr Hollis.

Sending James to begin his prison sentence this morning, Judge Reeds told James: “I’m sure your actions towards Bradley Hollis were a mixture of jealousy and concern for the fact he was coming to your house. Everyone was aware he should be nowhere near it.

“That said, the only reason he was coming to your house in the early hours of the morning was because you assaulted Zara, and she told him what you did.

“Whatever some people may have thought about Bradley, he was loved by his family and friends. And his death has left a hole in their lives, which can never be filled.”

Mr Thyne characterised both of the relationships the two men had with Ms Tolley as “unhealthy,” with both men arrested for violence towards her in separate incidents.

James, the jury was told, attacked Ms Tolley during a family event.

It was claimed Ms Tolley was also believed to have been mistreated by Mr Hollis, who was alleged to have thrown a hammer through the window of the family home, and to have assaulted her in Blackpool, with the latter incident resulting in social services becoming involved.

The incidents also resulted in Mr Hollis being prohibited from visiting Ms Tolley and James’ family home.

“It was against that backdrop that the jealous, controlling and sometimes violent nature of both men formed a catalyst for what was to occur,” explained the prosecutor.

The jury were read messages sent from Mr James to Ms Tolley in the weeks leading up to Mr Hollis’ death.

One such message read: “I’m telling you now, if that w****r comes anywhere near my kids, I’ll kill you both. And don’t think I won’t because I will.”

Jurors heard that in the hours leading up to the early-hours attack, Ms Tolley was home with Mr James, and was exchanging messages with Mr Hollis.

“She described how he snatched the phone from her, demanding to know who she had been messaging. He threw the phone from the upstairs window, and also assaulted her a number of times, punching her and hitting her over the head with a bottle,” Mr Thyne said.

Mr James subsequently took Ms Tolley’s phone, left the property and locked the door behind him.

He observed events at the property using live footage on the property’s doorbell camera, watching the comings and goings, and listening to audio from within the property, while he was in an outbuilding near allotments at Rivelin Valley Park, the court heard.

Mr James also issued a number of threats to Ms Tolley during phone conversations after he left the property, the court was told.

Jurors heard that Ms Tolley subsequently escaped and went to a nearby friend’s house, while a taxi was called to bring Mr Hollis to the house.

Ms Tolley and her friend were waiting for Mr Hollis when Mr James returned to the property a matter of minutes before Mr Hollis was due to arrive.

A scuffle ensued between the two men after Mr Hollis entered the property through the living room window, the jury were told.

Both of the eye witnesses, Ms Tolley and her friend, described Mr James and Mr Hollis fighting with their fists, with neither man initially taking the upper hand.

Mr Thyne said both eye-witnesses watched as Mr James took a knife from the kitchen, following which Mr Hollis suffered a number of stab and slash wounds.

Pathologist Dr Charles Wilson said Mr Hollis suffered a fatal wound to his heart, inflicted with sufficient “force” to cut through breast bone. The other stab wounds were located on his left shoulder and rib cartilage.

Despite the best efforts of the paramedics who tried to save Mr Hollis’ life, he was pronounced dead at 3.39am that morning.

In addition to James’ 14-year prison sentence, Judge Reeds also granted a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting Ms Tolley directly until further order of the court.