Latest news with #JavonRiley
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Robber admits picking up gunman moments after girl, nine, was shot in the head at Turkish restaurant in drive-by shooting
A robber has admitted picking up a gunman moments after a nine-year-old girl was shot in the head at a Turkish restaurant in a drive-by shooting. The victim had been sitting inside Evin restaurant in Hackney, east London, with family members at 9.19pm on May 29 last year when she was hit by a stray bullet as the gunman on a stolen Ducati Monster motorbike fired six shots at three men. She survived but will suffer 'physical and cognitive difficulties throughout her life' after the bullet lodged in her brain. The prosecution has alleged the shooting was a 'planned assassination' amid an ongoing clash between rival gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the 'Bombacilars'. It is claimed the men at the restaurant - Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu and Nasser Ali - were affiliated with the Hackney Turks and the ones who had allegedly ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks. Career criminal and suspected getaway driver Javon Riley, 33, is on trial charged with three counts of attempted murder, which he denies. Riley, from Tottenham, north London, who previously replied 'no comment' to all questions in police interviews, also denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to the nine-year-old girl. He is said to have carried out extensive reconnaissance ahead of the hit and may have been involved in the acquisition and disposal of the weapon used by the gunman as well as being suspected of acting as the getaway driver for the gunman, who has never been traced. Giving evidence in court today, Riley accepted that the CCTV images of him shown to the jury were in fact him. Wearing a white shirt and grey trousers with a short beard, Riley said he accepted driving a Range Rover, Mitsubishi and Nissan Juke and admitted driving the gunman away after he shot at the restaurant. Defence barrister Tyrone Smith, KC, asked: 'At the time when the gunman got into the car did you know he had shot those people in the restaurant?' 'No,' Riley replied. Mr Smith then asked if he was 'part of a plan or agreement that a shooting should take place that night', to which he again replied: 'No'. Riley said he was born in Jamaica and moved to the UK with his family when he was eight and grew up in Walthamstow, east London. He said he moved to Palmers Green near Tottenham and then later to Enfield. Riley has two children with a long term on and off partner and another child with another woman. He has worked as an electrician's assistant and on road maintenance but said his main work has been criminality. He has 14 convictions between 2008 and 2018 including battery, affray, possession of cocaine, possession of cannabis and possession of an offensive weapon. But he said he has committed many other crimes for which he has not been caught including robberies, stealing cars and selling drugs. Riley said he first got involved in stealing cars when 15 and originally did it for fun to drive them around before beginning to steal them to order. He said he now steals cars to ship them abroad. Riley said he robs drug dealers and fraudsters as they will not go to the police. He said he would be 'very strategic' when robbing someone and look out for cameras as his life would be in danger if a drug dealer found out who he was. Riley said he would steal cannabis that other people were growing, buy drugs with fake cash and snatch drugs from people. He said he sometimes carries knives but never carries a firearm because of the hefty prison sentences attached. Riley said by May last year he was committing between two and five robberies a month and he was aware of the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks. He said: 'They'd had a tit for tat for years- robbery, killings, shootings, all sorts of stuff. 'You can't grow up in Tottenham without knowing this stuff.' But he claimed to have involvement in either group. Riley explained he was contacted on May 4 last year about being involved in a 'robbery' in Hackney. He said: 'I was contacted by a third party, a friend of a friend introduced us through a robbery we had previously done before. 'I was asked do I want to give him a hand with a robbery he'd got planned. He told me it's nothing hard, something simple, a snatch and grab. 'A few guys had come across around 50 or 60kg of drugs distributed from a restaurant in Hackney. 'He asked me to be the driver. He told me there's a bike team of two guys.' Riley refused to name the man who phoned him, adding: 'I can't give his name. I fear for my life, and not just mine my family's as well. There's no guarantee of my safety or my family's.' He said he was told there would not be any weapons and he would receive around a quarter of the profit which would be between £30,000 and £40,000. He said he visited the area on May 6 to see if the robbery could be done and sat in the restaurant opposite. When asked why he ordered three pina coladas, he said he was with one of the women he was seeing. He said they had arranged to meet before and it was 'killing two birds with one stone'. Riley said the plan was for the robbers to put the money and drugs into his car and then he would drive off. He said he had never met the gunman until he got into his car after the shooting. Riley claimed he was told the robbery would take place on May 20 because there was going to be a drug deal going on that day. He said he was given a photo of Mustafa Kiziltan and told he was the target. Riley said before this he had been given a phone number for two men in the 'bike team'. He said he was not given their names but he called them on the way to Hackney. 'Did you not want to check out with them they were capable and knew what they were doing?' Mr Smith said. Riley replied: 'No, if someone's putting me on a robbery they're not putting me with idiots, I don't need to ask them "do you know your stuff?".' He said on May 20 he saw the person he had been given a photo of was not present at the restaurant but did see a group of 'Turkish or Albanian looking guys'. Reading agreed facts to the jury, prosecutor Abigail Husbands said that the nine-year-old had sustained a gunshot wound to her brain. She said: 'On May 30, 2024, she was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital. On June 14, 2024, she was transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital. 'She was then referred for multidisciplinary neurorehabilitation input. 'Her main difficulties were significant left side hemiplegia, a visual field defect, cognitive impairment, including impulsivity and reduced concentration and fatigue with concentration and physical activities. 'She was discharged home from Birmingham Children's Hospital on August 30, 2024. 'She was subsequently admitted to the Children's Trust from September 16, 2024, to December 8, 2024, where she underwent inpatient intensive neurorehabilitation. 'On May 28, 2025, a consultant paediatric neurologist prepared a report in respect of his opinion as to her progress since her injury. 'She had made some good improvements both physically and cognitively since she presented with her severe brain injury from the gunshot. 'However she continued to have significant weakness to one side of the body and some cognitive difficulties. She also fatigued easily with concentration and physical activity. 'The professor was of the opinion that she will continue to have physical difficulties, cognitive difficulties and increased fatigue throughout her life.' Ms Husbands said the words 'tell our lot to come' were spoken in Turkish in the aftermath of the shooting. Ms Husbands said that material held by police suggests the three men shot were affiliated to the Hackney Turks. She said that Beytullah Gunduz, who was also in the restaurant, was also affiliated. She said: 'Both the Tottenham Turks and Hackney Turks are organised crime groups involved in the dealing of drugs. 'In late 2019, Kemal Eren offered drugs and large sums of money as payment to Leon Smith, a former Tottenham Mandem gang member, to cause serious harm or murder Beytullah Gundez and others. 'Kemal Eren provided detailed information on the intended targets to Leon Smith, who agreed to act as the organiser. 'Having been recruited, he set about attempting to recruit others to complete the job on his behalf. 'They conducted reconnaissance on the intended victims, sourced firearms and a stolen vehicle. 'Leon Smith was convicted of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and firearms offences. 'Kemal Eren is wanted in relation to this investigation.'
BBC News
07-08-2025
- BBC News
Robber picked up gunman who shot girl in Dalston, court told
A self-confessed robber has admitted picking up a gunman after a girl was shot in the head in a drive-by - but claimed he thought it was a "smash and grab".The nine-year-old was eating dinner with her family when the rider of a Ducati Monster motorcycle fired six shots outside Evin restaurant, in Kingsland High Street, Dalston, east London, on 29 May last the Old Bailey, Javon Riley claimed a "third party" contacted him and offered about £40,000 to take part in robbing about 60kg (132lb) of 33-year-old denies attempted murder together with others, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the girl. Mr Riley allegedly picked up the gunman in a stolen Nissan Juke before switching to a Range Rover in north role was to be a driver for a two-man bike "snatch team", neither of whom he had ever met, jurors Smith KC, defending, asked for the name of the person who contacted Riley said: "I cannot give you that. I fear for my safety and my family."Asked what he thought the plan at the time was, Mr Riley told the court: "That it was just going to be a robbery, a smash and grab."The defendant, from Tottenham, north London, is also accused of carrying out reconnaissance before the shooting and helping the gunman evade evidence on Thursday, Mr Riley admitted involvement in crimes including robbery, and told Mr Smith he agreed evidence showed him driving the gunman from Colvestone denied knowing at the time people had been shot. A bullet lodged in the girl's brain and three men at another table were hit in the thigh, leg and girl cannot be named due to her age. The prosecution has alleged the shooting was a "planned assassination" amid an ongoing dispute between rival gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the "Bombacilars".Men seated outside the restaurant had affiliations towards the Hackney Turks and the ones who had ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks, it is court heard Mr Riley had convictions dating to 2008 including for cannabis and cocaine possession, driving offences, and having an offensive weapon and blade in his case continues.
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Yahoo
Drive-by shooting of girl, nine, was supposed to be ‘smash and grab'
A self-confessed robber has admitted picking up a gunman moments after a nine-year-old girl was hit in the head in a drive-by shooting but claimed he thought it was a 'smash and grab'. The young victim was eating dinner with her family when the rider of a Ducati Monster motorbike fired six shots outside Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street in Dalston, east London, on May 29 last year. A bullet lodged in the girl's brain and three men sitting an another table were wounded in the thigh, leg and backbone, the Old Bailey has heard. Javon Riley allegedly picked up the gunman nearby in a stolen Nissan Juke on false plates before transferring to a Range Rover in north London. Giving evidence on Thursday, Riley, 33, admitted being involved in various lucrative crimes but denied knowing about the planned shooting said to be linked to a Turkish gang feud. He claimed he had been contacted by a 'third party' and offered around £40,000 to be involved in a 'smash and grab' robbery of 60 kilos of drugs. His role was to be the driver for a two-man bike 'snatch team', neither of whom he ever met, jurors heard. Defence barrister Tyrone Smith KC said: 'You have described the person who contacted you as a third party. What's his name?' Riley said: 'I cannot give his name.' Mr Smith pressed: 'Three men have been shot and a nine-year-old girl, you understand that? You understand a whole host of people want answers to what happened on May 29. Can you tell me the name of the third party?' The defendant replied: 'I cannot give you that. I fear for my safety and my family.' Mr Smith said: 'You are in custody. If you are in custody why are you in fear for your own life?' Riley said: 'It's not just my life but my family too. They can get me anyway.' He told jurors that he had three children with two different partners, as well as at least four other girlfriends or 'friends with benefits' living around London. Asked what he had thought the plan was at the time, Riley said: 'That it was just going to be a robbery, a smash and grab.' The defendant went on to admit he had carried out reconnaissance and was 'spotting' for the targets of the robbery. He was provided with an image of one of the male victims, saying: 'I was just told it was going to be a group of friends sitting outside the restaurant.' Asked why he never checked whether the other members of the robbery team were capable, Riley told jurors: 'If someone is putting me in a robbery, they are not putting me with idiots. There is no need to ask them 'do you know what you are doing, do you know your stuff?'.' Mr Smith asked: 'Do you accept the evidence shows you on 29th May drove the gunman from Colvestone Crescent shortly after he had shot and injured three men and a young girl?' The defendant replied: 'Yes.' Mr Smith went on: 'At the time did you know he had shot those people at the restaurant?' Riley replied: 'No.' Mr Smith said: 'Were you part of a plan or agreement that a shooting take place that night?' Riley, who grew up in Walthamstow after emigrating from Jamaica as a boy, denied it. The prosecution has alleged the shooting was a 'planned assassination' amid a dispute between rival gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the 'Bombacilars'. The men seated outside the restaurant had affiliations towards the Hackney Turks and the ones who had ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks, it is claimed. Riley told jurors he was aware of the two gangs but had no dealings with them and played no role in their long-running dispute. Earlier, Riley told jurors that he left college at 18 and was involved in 'various stuff of criminality' as well as setting up his own delivery business and having a stake in a clothes brand. The court heard Riley has a string of convictions dating back to 2008 including for possession of cannabis and cocaine, driving offences, and having an offensive weapon and a blade in his car. In addition, the defendant said he had been involved with stealing cars, drug dealing and robberies, although he had never been caught for those offences. He said he began taking cars 'for fun' at the age of 15, going on to steal them to order and shipping them abroad. He picked drug dealers to rob because the money could not be traced and the victims were unlikely to go to police, jurors heard. The defendant said he would carry out between two and five robberies a month, sometimes working with others, and would make anything from £30,000 to more than £200,000. Asked about his role in the robberies, Riley said: 'Sometimes I'm the driver or the muscle.' Riley, from Tottenham, north London, has denied the attempted murder with others of Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu and Nasser Ali. He has also denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the nine-year-old girl, who cannot be named because of her age. The Old Bailey trial continues.
The Independent
07-08-2025
- The Independent
Drive-by shooting of girl, nine, was supposed to be ‘smash and grab'
A self-confessed robber has admitted picking up a gunman moments after a nine-year-old girl was hit in the head in a drive-by shooting but claimed he thought it was a 'smash and grab'. The young victim was eating dinner with her family when the rider of a Ducati Monster motorbike fired six shots outside Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street in Dalston, east London, on May 29 last year. A bullet lodged in the girl's brain and three men sitting an another table were wounded in the thigh, leg and backbone, the Old Bailey has heard. Javon Riley allegedly picked up the gunman nearby in a stolen Nissan Juke on false plates before transferring to a Range Rover in north London. Giving evidence on Thursday, Riley, 33, admitted being involved in various lucrative crimes but denied knowing about the planned shooting said to be linked to a Turkish gang feud. He claimed he had been contacted by a 'third party' and offered around £40,000 to be involved in a 'smash and grab' robbery of 60 kilos of drugs. His role was to be the driver for a two-man bike 'snatch team', neither of whom he ever met, jurors heard. Defence barrister Tyrone Smith KC said: 'You have described the person who contacted you as a third party. What's his name?' Riley said: 'I cannot give his name.' Mr Smith pressed: 'Three men have been shot and a nine-year-old girl, you understand that? You understand a whole host of people want answers to what happened on May 29. Can you tell me the name of the third party?' The defendant replied: 'I cannot give you that. I fear for my safety and my family.' Mr Smith said: 'You are in custody. If you are in custody why are you in fear for your own life?' Riley said: 'It's not just my life but my family too. They can get me anyway.' He told jurors that he had three children with two different partners, as well as at least four other girlfriends or 'friends with benefits' living around London. Asked what he had thought the plan was at the time, Riley said: 'That it was just going to be a robbery, a smash and grab.' The defendant went on to admit he had carried out reconnaissance and was 'spotting' for the targets of the robbery. He was provided with an image of one of the male victims, saying: 'I was just told it was going to be a group of friends sitting outside the restaurant.' Asked why he never checked whether the other members of the robbery team were capable, Riley told jurors: 'If someone is putting me in a robbery, they are not putting me with idiots. There is no need to ask them 'do you know what you are doing, do you know your stuff?'.' Mr Smith asked: 'Do you accept the evidence shows you on 29th May drove the gunman from Colvestone Crescent shortly after he had shot and injured three men and a young girl?' The defendant replied: 'Yes.' Mr Smith went on: 'At the time did you know he had shot those people at the restaurant?' Riley replied: 'No.' Mr Smith said: 'Were you part of a plan or agreement that a shooting take place that night?' Riley, who grew up in Walthamstow after emigrating from Jamaica as a boy, denied it. The prosecution has alleged the shooting was a 'planned assassination' amid a dispute between rival gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the 'Bombacilars'. The men seated outside the restaurant had affiliations towards the Hackney Turks and the ones who had ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks, it is claimed. Riley told jurors he was aware of the two gangs but had no dealings with them and played no role in their long-running dispute. Earlier, Riley told jurors that he left college at 18 and was involved in 'various stuff of criminality' as well as setting up his own delivery business and having a stake in a clothes brand. The court heard Riley has a string of convictions dating back to 2008 including for possession of cannabis and cocaine, driving offences, and having an offensive weapon and a blade in his car. In addition, the defendant said he had been involved with stealing cars, drug dealing and robberies, although he had never been caught for those offences. He said he began taking cars 'for fun' at the age of 15, going on to steal them to order and shipping them abroad. He picked drug dealers to rob because the money could not be traced and the victims were unlikely to go to police, jurors heard. The defendant said he would carry out between two and five robberies a month, sometimes working with others, and would make anything from £30,000 to more than £200,000. Asked about his role in the robberies, Riley said: 'Sometimes I'm the driver or the muscle.' Riley, from Tottenham, north London, has denied the attempted murder with others of Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu and Nasser Ali. He has also denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the nine-year-old girl, who cannot be named because of her age. The Old Bailey trial continues.
The Independent
07-08-2025
- The Independent
Self-confessed robber admits picking up gunman who shot girl in head
A self-confessed robber has admitted picking up a gunman moments after a nine-year-old girl was hit in the head in a drive-by shooting but denied knowing about the plan. The young victim was eating dinner with her family when the rider of a Ducati Monster motorbike fired six shots outside Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street in Dalston, east London, on May 29 last year. A bullet lodged in the girl's brain and three men sitting an another table were wounded in the thigh, leg and backbone, the Old Bailey has heard. Javon Riley allegedly picked up the gunman nearby in a stolen Nissan Juke on false plates before transferring to a Range Rover in north London, the Old Bailey has heard. The 33-year-old defendant is also accused of carrying out reconnaissance before the shooting and helping the gunman evade arrest. Giving evidence on Thursday, Riley admitted being involved in various lucrative crimes but denied knowing anything about the shooting. Defence barrister Tyrone Smith KC asked: 'Do you accept the evidence shows you on 29th May drove the gunman from Colvestone Crescent shortly after he had shot and injured three men and a young girl?' The defendant replied: 'Yes.' Mr Smith went on: 'At the time did you know he had shot those people at the restaurant?' Riley replied: 'No.' Mr Smith said: 'Were you part of a plan or agreement that a shooting take place that night?' Riley, who grew up in Walthamstow after emigrating from Jamaica as a boy, denied it. He told jurors that he had left college at the age of 18 and had three children with two different partners, as well as at least four other girlfriends or 'friends with benefits' living around London. Riley said he had set up his own delivery business, had an interest in a clothes brand with friends, and made money from 'various stuff of criminality'. The court heard Riley has a string of convictions dating back to 2008 including for possession of cannabis and cocaine, driving offences, and having an offensive weapon and a blade in his car. In addition, the defendant said he had been involved with stealing cars, drug dealing and robberies, although he had never been caught for those offences. He said he began taking cars 'for fun' at the age of 15, going on to steal them to order and shipping them abroad. He picked drug dealers to rob because the money could not be traced and the victims were unlikely to go to police, jurors heard. Mr Smith asked: 'What would be the consequences if a drug dealer identified you as someone who had robbed them?' Riley replied: 'My life would be in danger.' The defendant said he would carry out between two and five robberies a month, sometimes working with others, and would make anything from £30,000 to more than £200,000. Asked about his role in the robberies, Riley said: 'Sometimes I'm the driver or the muscle.' The defendant said that although he would sometimes carry a knife, he would never be armed with a gun because it was too risky and he would go 'straight to jail' if caught. Riley told jurors he would sometimes sell on drugs he had stolen from dealers. The prosecution has alleged the shooting was a 'planned assassination' amid an ongoing dispute between rival gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the 'Bombacilars'. Men seated outside the restaurant had affiliations towards the Hackney Turks and the ones who had ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks, it is claimed. Riley, from Tottenham, north London, has denied attempted murder together with others and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the girl, who cannot be named because of her age.
