Man jailed for 34 years over shooting of girl, 9

A man has been jailed for 34 years over his role as a getaway driver in a gangland shooting that left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her brain.

Javon Riley, 33, was convicted last month of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after the girl was hit in the head by the first of six bullets fired from a passing motorbike at a restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, last May.

Riley was also sentenced over the attempted murder of three men – Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu, and Nasser Ali – who were sitting at tables outside the Evin Restaurant.

The gunman and weapon used in the shooting in east London have never been found.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC said the gang rivalry had seen a number of “tit for tat” murders and attempted murders in London and overseas over the past 10 years.

The judge added: “You had a leading role as a planner and a spotter and this was an act in revenge for previous incidents.”

‘We grieve for her dreams’

A victim impact statement from the girl’s mother, read to the court by the judge, read: “Our daughter’s joyful spirit remains but it is now wrapped in layers of frustration and silent pain.

“She watches her friends do what she cannot and she carries it all inside with quiet strength.

“This tragedy did not just change our daughter’s life, it broke something in us as a family.”

The statement added: “For us the trauma is relentless, we live with constant fear about the future, unsure how much more she will lose as she grows.

“We grieve for the dreams we once had for her, dreams of music, sport and a carefree childhood, all replaced by therapy sessions, hospital appointments and adaptations for survival.”

The three men who were shot were said to be affiliated with the Hackney Turks organised crime gang, who had a rivalry with the Tottenham Turks, with whom Riley had links, jurors had heard.

The gunman remains at large but prosecutors said Riley had played a “key role” before, during and after the shooting.

Scotland Yard has offered up to £15,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person who fired the shots.

During a three-week trial, Riley was asked to identify the “third party” who had recruited him for around £40,000.

He refused, citing fear for his life and that of his family.

String of convictions

Riley admitted conducting reconnaissance, spotting targets and picking up the gunman, but claimed he believed it was a “smash-and-grab” robbery.

Riley later admitted the person who used the gun had said to him: “Shots have been fired. I need to get out of here.”

The court heard Jamaica-born Riley had a string of convictions dating back to 2008.

They include possession of cannabis and cocaine, driving offences and having an offensive weapon and a blade in his car.

He also admitted involvement in car theft, drug dealing and robberies, but said he had never been caught for those offences.

Police recordings revealed Riley’s links to the Tottenham Turks, including talks about Izzet Eren, who was shot in Moldova on 10 July last year in what was believed to be a revenge attack.

Det Ch Insp Joanna Yorke said: “Riley will face the consequences of his actions behind bars. Actions that traumatically derailed the life of a little girl.

“While this outcome is a reminder that justice can be served, it will never undo the suffering caused to her or her family.”