Man jailed for 34 years over shooting of girl, 9

A man has been sentenced to 34 years in prison for his role as a getaway driver in a gangland shooting which left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her head.

Javon Riley, 33, was struck in the head by the first of six bullets fired from a passing motorbike at a restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, last May. He was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Riley was also convicted of 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 the weapon used in the east London attack have never been found.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC said Riley had played a “leading role as a planner and a spotter” in what was an act of retaliation for recent incidents linked to gang violence. He was sentenced on Friday for his part in a series of tit-for-tat murders and attempted murders in London and abroad over the past decade.

‘We grieve for her dreams’

The court heard a statement from the young girl’s mother, read aloud by the judge:

“Our daughter’s joyful spirit remains, but it is now wrapped in layers of anxiety and silence. She watches her friends do what she cannot do, and she carries it all inside with a calm face. This tragedy did not only change our daughter’s life, it also broke something in us as a family.

“For us, the pain is constant. We live with continual worry about the future. We mourn for the hopes we once had for her — hopes of music, sport, and a carefree childhood, now replaced by therapy sessions, hospital visits, and survival strategies.”

Organised crime links

Jurors were told the three men targeted in the shooting were believed to be members of the Hackney Turks organised crime group, rivals of the Tottenham Turks, with whom Riley had connections. Prosecutors alleged that Riley played an important 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 gunman. During the three-week trial, Riley was asked to name the person who had recruited him for about £40,000. He refused, citing fears for his own life and the safety of his family.

Criminal history

The court heard that Riley admitted carrying out reconnaissance, identifying targets, and picking up the gunman, though he claimed he believed it was part of a robbery. He later confessed that the shooter had told him: “Shots were fired. I need to get out of here.”

Riley, who was born in Jamaica, has a long criminal record dating back to 2008, including drug offences, driving crimes, and possession of weapons. He also admitted involvement in carjacking, heroin use, and robberies, though he said he had never previously been jailed. His links to the Tottenham Turks were documented in police intelligence, including information about Izzet Eren, who was shot dead in Moldova in July last year in what was thought to be a revenge attack.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke said: “Riley will now face the consequences of his actions in prison. A young girl’s life has been devastatingly altered, and her future placed in doubt.

“While this verdict demonstrates that justice will be served, it can never undo the suffering endured by her and her family.”