22-07-2025
Girl, 9, was shot in head when gunman on motorbike opened fire in ‘planned assassination' of rival gang, court told
A SCHOOLGIRL who was shot in the head as she ate with her family at a restaurant was caught in the crossfire of two warring gangs, a court has heard.
The nine-year-old was seriously injured when bullets from a drive buy shooting missed their target and hit her.
She was eating with her family at the Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street in Dalston, east London, on May 29 least year when the tragedy unfolded.
A bullet lodged in the young girls brain with three other men, who were sitting nearby, also struck by the gunfire.
Javon Riley, 33, has pleaded not guilty to four charges of attempted murder together with others.
It is alleged Riley played "a key role before, during and after the shooting."
He also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent against the girl, who cannot be named because of her age.
It is not alleged that Riley carried out the shooting from the back of a Ducati motorbike that stopped momentarily on the side of the road outside the restaurant.
The gunman from the tragic shooting has never been tracked down.
Jurors were told the rider of the bike "raised his right arm and fired six shots in quick succession" which hit the three men sitting in a group outside, but also struck the innocent young girl.
On Tuesday, prosecutor James Mulholland KC said: "The prosecution case is that this was a planned assassination of members of a rival gang by Mr Riley and others."
The injured young girl had to go through several intensive operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital after the horror shooting.
Mr Mulholland said: "Sections of her skull were removed to relieve swelling to the brain and these have since been replaced with a titanium plate. She was in hospital for three months before being allowed to return home.
"Although she has made a relatively good recovery, she will continue to have physical and cognitive difficulties throughout her life."
The three wounded men were also rushed to hospital and treated for gunshot wounds to the thigh, leg and backbone respectively.
Those seated outside restaurant had affiliations towards the Hackney Turks and the ones who had ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks, the prosecution said.
The court heard that Riley was "vital in the carrying out of the plan to kill."
After the shooting, the gunman rode the motorbike to a nearby street where Riley was waiting in a stolen Nissan Juke on false plates.
They then "calmly" headed to north London before transferring into Riley's Range Rover.
Covert police recordings in the months after the shooting, show Riley talking about a man called Izzet Eren, who is linked to the Tottenham Turks and was shot in Moldova on July 10 last year.
His shooting was widely believed to be a revenge attack.
Riley also spoke about a man called "Kem" who the prosecution believe is Kemal Eren - one of those closely involved in the Tottenham Turks.
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