Latest news with #drillrap
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
Gang who flooded London with guns and drugs in deadly postcode war are jailed for 116 years over plot to shoot Britain's 'most hated drill rapper'
Seven members of a notorious London gang have been sentenced to a total of 116 years for conspiring a gun plot to try and shoot rival rapper. The Harrow Road Boys (HRB) bought firearms in a bid to harm drill star and Digga D as part of a gang war that left three people dead and brought communities to their knees. The group attempted to hunt down the controversial artist, who was part of the Ladbroke Grove–based CGM (Cherish God More) gang, as part of a tit–for–tat postcode war in west London in 2022 and 2023. The feud began when a member of Harrow Road Boys, which also flooded the streets of west London with drugs, was shot for entering the rival gang's territory. Two other killings were to follow, one of which involved the brother of a high ranking member of HRB, after which seven members of the gang were tasked with finding Digga D and harming him in revenge, Kingston Crown Court was told. Today they were jailed for more than 100 years after pleading guilty to firearms and drugs offences, with the judge labelling them a 'blight on their own community'. A fellow member of the group and rapper, Marvin William Bailey – better known by his stage name of Fredo – was also named as a conspirator in the trial. However, he failed to appear, with the court being told he is believed to be living abroad. Digga D, real name Rhys Herbert, 25, was jailed for almost four years in January for supplying 45kg of cannabis after he was arrested during an Instagram livestream. His rap songs and videos glorifying violence and goading rivals have seen him dubbed 'London's most hated rapper' due to his long list of enemies. Prosecutor Ian McLoughlin KC told the court that the first killing took place in July 2020, when Billy McCullagh, known as Billy da Kid, 'was shot dead by rival gang members in Harlesden'. Just a month later Jeffrey Wegbe, a 26–year–old known as Gucci, was also shot dead in Kilburn. Mr McLoughlin said his death was 'glorified' in a video for a drill rap song called 'Roll Up' released by Jayvon Tison, who is also known as Lil Dotz and is a member of the Harrow Road Boys. The lyrics of the song referred to 'taking a dead person's ashes and making them into a roll–up (cigarette) as a sign of disrespect', he said. Less than two years later in July 2022 Tison's 26–year–old brother Daneche was killed after being shot in the heart outside a block of flats in west Kilburn. Following this Tison 'lead the search' for Digga D, and sent a list of rival gang members to target, the court heard. The 24–year–old, who had an added status in the gang due to being a 'successful recording artist in his own right', also abused a woman to store a firearm in one of his music videos. Snapchat correspondence showed the gang members discussing holding and financing the firearms, where they said they no longer required 'a deeme' (a female) to store the firearm. Digga D (pictured), who is currently in prison for drugs offences, was targeted by the Harrow Road Boys after Daneche Tison's killing Eventually their £500–a–month 'lock', a name for an individual storing the weapons was recovered by police, and a week later there was a fatal shooting on August 23, 2022, the court was told. Mr McLoughlin, said the seven defendants intended to 'cause significant harm' as they attempted to hunt Digga D, who is a part of the CGM gang, down. Mr McLoughlin described it as a 'high culpability' case, demonstrated by weapons seized by police being replaced by the defendants. The members of the Harrow Road Boys gang – Jayvon Tison, Kylann Grannum, Mustafa Abdalla, Romello Briggs–Leon, Harry Crump, Yasin Abdulla and Herman Yikalo – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to posses a firearm with intent endanger life between July and November 2022. Abraham Safa Frimpong was found not guilty of the charge, but was found guilty of contravening the Prisons Act, by smuggling a phone behind bars. At the sentencing hearing today, a community impact statement from police constable, David Hammond, told how the gang wreaked havoc on the ward 'and beyond'. The Harrow Road Boys gang had a massive impact on the local community, the court heard, with a 'high level' of drug dealing and serious violence in the area. Children were recruited by the gang to expand the drug dealing operation outside of the capital, with offences by the Harrow Road Boys leaving the community in fear of 'when the next attack will be.' The gang felt they were 'above the law' the court was told, with people afraid to leave their homes and one local even abandoning their tenancy out of fear. On August 2023, crew showed 'complete disregard' for bail conditions set to prevent further offending and threw a party in the middle of Harrow Road. 'Gang violence has been a ward priority for several years. This is without a doubt the issue that concerns my residents the most,' the statement from the officer read. 'The hardest thing I have had to do is to deal with families who have lost their children to gang violence. He added that gang violence 'destroy[s] the lives of entire families in split seconds,' and that the network 'need[s] to be broken before another person is killed.' Police found two guns in a bag in a service cupboard next to a flat on the Mozart estate on October 24, 2022. They were forensically linked to Tison and Grannum. The prosecutor said the police also searched a flat in a tower block in Vauxhall on November 10, 2022 and and found a loaded gun hidden behind a panel in a roof void. 'The lead offence, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, is aggravated by the fact that the weapons were replaced when police found them,' said Mr McLoughlin. 'The gang used locks to keep the guns safe. There was a discharge of one firearm, and a firearm recovered was used to shoot at a group of CGM gang members in 2022.' He said they also hoped to gun down Digga D with the weapon. It was also heard that the gang smuggled in mobile phones into prisons across London by using drones. The handsets were used behind bars by prisoners to order illicit substances and tobaccos, which were also flown in via drone. Crump was also found guilty of possession with the intent to supply cocaine on February 28, 2023, after 16.3 g of the drug were found on a table his table, messages on his phone indicative of selling cocaine. On February 16, nine grams of heroin were recovered from Yasin Abdulla's home, which was thrown into a neighbouring balcony. Messages concerning the supply of drugs were also found on his phone. Mustafa Abdalla pleaded guilty with intent to supply a controlled drug after 580g cannabis was seized from his home address in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea on February 28, 2023. Yasin Abdulla was also found guilty of possessing with the intent to supply of heroin after nine grams of heroin were recovered from his address in Westminster on the same day last year. The drugs were thrown into a neighbouring balcony, with messages concerning drug dealing also recovered from his phone, the court was told. Judge Marcus Tregilgas–Davey said the HRB gang was 'involved in a long running and deadly rivalry with CGM including 'a long series of shootings and violent reprisals.' He added: 'The rivalry was further fuelled by tension between prominent members of the HRB CGM gangs, Fredo, and Digga D. 'One of the guns used by the HRB gang had been discharged. 'The firearm was recovered by police on a beach three days later. 'The gang used a woman to the store the firearm. A conversation recovered in a SnapChat group chat also showed how the gang discussed buying a lock for the gun. 'There were fatal shootings throughout 2022 in the Harrow area, and at the same time, there were videos of the CGM gang taunting their rivals and claiming responsibility for the violent attacks. 'The HRB gang actively searching for Digga D in what in my view was clearly going to be a hit involving a firearm after they learnt about his whereabouts in a music video in central London. 'There was significant planning. There was the use of a female to move the firearm around, and a youth to store the firearm and ammunition at an address in Harrow. 'It is also clear that there were significant discussions about sourcing locks for the guns on Snapchat. 'The gang posed a high risk due to the firearms, but there was also a high risk of disorder, as a hit on Digga D would have inevitably led to repercussions from CGM.' The judge added that the defendants were 'immersed in gang culture and violence' adding: 'You were living in the shadows of civilised society.' 'Not one of you have shed an ounce of remorse for what you have done,' he said. 'The truth is that you as members of the HRB are a blight on your own community.' Tison, Mustafa Abdallah, Briggs–Leon, Yasin Abdulla, Yikalo, and Grannum were sentenced to 17 years behind bars. Crump was jailed for 14 years for the same crime, while Safo Frimpong received a two year custodial sentence. One of the gang members shouted 'Light one. We will back soon' as he was led from the dock. Mitigating for Tison, Mr Alphege Bell said the 24–year–old suffered from PTSD and had been impacted by the deaths of family members, including his older brother and only remaining sibling who was shot dead on the street. They asked the court to be 'merciful' due to his 'sad' background. Representing Mustafa Abdalla, Mr Jeremy Rosenberg said the 31–year–old was a 'working man' who was married with two children, with the eldest suffering from non verbal autism. He told the court Abdalla had a 'unique' and 'special bond' with his son and was his 'primary carer' He added Abdalla was the one who was able to calm him down, which was sometimes difficult due to the child's learning difficulties. His younger child was born while he was in remand and he has not met his younger child, as Mr Rosenberg added: 'It is the children who will suffer the most.' Mitigating for Briggs Leon, Mr Andrew Frymann said the 30–year–old was a father to a two–year–old girl and had also been a primary carer for his mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment. Representing Yasin Abdulla, Mr Anthony Barraclough argued the defendant was 'remarkably quiet' in regards to correspondence when events of significance, such as the tracking of Digga D and shooting took place. Mr Barraclough added that Abdulla 'had to fend for himself' when his parents separated from a young age. Mr Paul Mylvaganam, mitigating for Yikalo, said the 31–year–old didn't fit 'the profile of a career criminal', adding that he had been a 'good son', who supported his mentally unwell brother as well as his sister and parents. Mitigating for Grannum, Mr John Fitzgerald said as the eldest of five life 'was extremely tough for him and his mother'. He argued the now 28–year–old was previously 'vulnerable' to gangs, as at the age of 14 there wasn't a guarantee supper would be 'on the table every day of the week. Representing Crump, Ms Jemma Levinson said the 24–year–old was 'significantly' younger than his co–conspirators. She added that his age being a 'significant factor' in him being drawn to certain activity and individuals. Mitigating for Safo Frimpong, Ms Puneet Grewal said 31–year–old had been impacted by a psychological condition and the ill health of his mother. She added that the defendant had been section under the Mental Health Act following her death. He then sought closeness with those who he grew up with after his loss according to doctors, she added. He was also diagnosed with anxiety. It was also heard that he had lost his place at university due to difficulty to cope, as well as struggling with unstable housing. She argued he had a lack of involvement with the Snapchat group and was trying to change his life in Portsmouth while on bail.
Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Telegraph
Five gang members convicted of murdering two people in drill rap video
Five gang members, including an illegal immigrant who should have been deported nine years ago, have been convicted of murdering two people during the filming of a drill rap video. Leonardo Reid, 15, and Klevi Shekaj, 23, died after they were mistaken for rival gang members at a gathering of 40 people in Elthorne Road, Islington, north London, on June 29 2023. Lorik Lupqi, 21, Jason Furtado, 28, Abel Chunda, 29, Xavier Poponne, 22, and Eden Clark, 31, were convicted of double murder on Wednesday following a 15-week trial at the Old Bailey. Lupqi, a Kosovan, and Furtado, a Portuguese national, were both on tags at the time of the killings. Furtado, born to Angolan parents, had a lengthy criminal record and the Home Office had first tried to deport him nine years ago. He launched at least two appeals against his deportation despite committing serious offences in the lead up to the murders. Lupqi fled to Kosovo after the attacks, but was extradited back to the UK last November. The five killers were also convicted of the attempted murder of Abdulla Abdullahi, 28. During the trial, the court heard that on the day of the murders a large group had gathered on the Elthorne Estate to record a music video for an artist called Tight Right Baby. Lupqi saw the gathering as an opportunity to attack the pair, and Furtado enlisted Chunda, Clark and Poponne. The three men, who were not at the original gathering, were taxied from Furtado's address in Canonbury, north London, to the estate, where they donned masks and armed themselves. Reid was stabbed in the chest, which penetrated his left lung and a major blood vessels, causing fatal blood loss. Shekaj was stabbed in the back, also puncturing his left lung. He was driven to Whittington Hospital by members of the public, but he died on arrival. Mr Abdullahi, who had walked past the video recording earlier that night, told police he was attacked by three or four masked people on his return to the area. He was struck with a machete on the right side of his body, on his head and right knee, the court was told. Jacob Hallam KC, for the prosecution, said: 'He thought he was going to die. He cannot say how long the attack lasted. He then heard one of the group say, 'leave him'.' Mr Abdullahi struggled home and collapsed outside his front door. After the 'murderous' attack, the taxi took Chunda, Poponne, Clark and Lupqi from the scene to Chunda's home address, the court was told. Lyrics recovered from Poponne's phone allegedly 'glorified' the killings, jurors heard, and contained details that could have only been known by the attackers. Shortly after the murders, Poponne changed his social media name to 'X3' in reference to the number of people he had stabbed, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. After the verdict, Det Insp Jim Barry said: 'Our team have remained focused on getting justice for those affected by this violent and unnecessary attack. 'This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim's shattered families for longer. 'I thank the members of the public who tried to help and save the lives of those injured and have assisted our team with enquiries. 'We will continue to tackle violent offenders and ensure that justice is bought for the safety of our communities.' The defendants will be sentenced on Sept 25 and 26.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Telegraph
Two boys murdered drill rapper, 14, with machetes on bus
Two boys murdered an aspiring 14-year-old drill rapper in a machete attack on a London bus. Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed nearly 30 times as he travelled home on a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on Tuesday January 7. Emergency services were called to Woolwich Church Street, near Woolwich Ferry, just before 2.30pm. Kelyan, an aspiring drill rapper, had sustained a severed femoral artery and died shortly after medics arrived at the scene. In an unusual move, Scotland Yard had issued CCTV images and named two boys as part of a public appeal for information. Two boys, both aged 16, were charged with murder and appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday for a plea hearing. The pair pleaded guilty to Kelyan's murder and having a knife on Woolwich Church Street. Relatives of Kelyan gasped and appeared tearful as they sat metres away from the dock where the two boys sat flanked by officers. Reporting of the case was briefly delayed after one of the boys' barristers had called for time to speak to his client in light of what had appeared to be an unexpected plea. Later, the youth returned to court and confirmed his guilty plea. Judge Mark Lucraft KC ordered reports ahead of sentencing on July 25. At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Tom Little KC said the victim was sitting on the back seat of the bus on the upper deck when he was attacked by two youths both armed with 'lengthy machetes'. The defendants knew in advance of the presence of Kelyan when they boarded the bus and walked directly towards him, the court was told. Mr Little said: 'It is clear this is not a form of spontaneous incident. The two defendants must have known the deceased was on the bus. 'They approach him and almost instantaneously, the two of them pull out machetes and attacked the deceased. 'He is stabbed or attempted to be stabbed on a total of 27 occasions before the defendants made their way off the bus.' One of the machetes was discarded in the River Thames but was later recovered. The defendants cannot be named because of their ages. However, Judge Lucraft indicated he would hear a media application to lift the reporting restriction at their sentencing hearing. Kelyan's mother Mary Bokassa earlier claimed that her son had been groomed by gangs before the killing. 'My son and others were taken advantage [of] by gangs. They were groomed,' she told MailOnline. 'He was missing for a year and was living on the street. He finally turned up at my doorstep, he was sick, underweight and tattooed... He was exposed to drugs. He probably experienced something because I could sense it. 'He was not himself. If I questioned him he wouldn't tell me anything about his friends.'
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Who are Mikey Roynon's killers Shane Cunningham, Cartel Bushnell and Leo Knight and where are they now?
MIKEY Roynon was a talented teenage drill rapper whose life was tragically cut short when an altercation broke out at a 16th birthday party. The horrific crime is featured in C5's The Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids, which explores the devastating impact of youth violence in the UK. 6 Who Was Mike Roynon? Mikey Roynon was a 16-year-old from Kingswood, near Bristol, who was tragically murdered at a party in June 2023. He had a passion for music, particularly drill, and released tracks that gained popularity online, including a viral hit titled Oh Dear. Despite his mother's concerns about the dangerous drill scene, Mikey reassured her that it was just music. The teen's ex-girlfriend Chyna-Lei Patterson told The Sun: 'He was such a lovely polite boy and was loved by loads of people. "His memory will be cherished by everyone who came across him and I'm just devastated at his loss. "He was a really talented musician and dreamed of making a career as a rapper. "Everyone who knew him is devastated." Zombie knife attack On the night of June 10, 2023, Mikey attended a 16th birthday party in Bath, where he was fatally stabbed in the neck with a zombie knife during a confrontation in the garden. He had been on a day trip in the Somerset city and was eating at a Nando's restaurant when one of his friends heard about the bash on social media. The youngsters decided to go along the the party 'on a whim'. Locals said that the gathering was crashed by a group of 200 revellers and soon got out of hand. The horrific murder led to a high-profile trial at Bristol Youth Court, with three teenage boys in the dock. Shane Cunningham 6 Shane Cunningham, 16, was identified as the boy who delivered the fatal stab wound. During the trial, he admitted to stabbing Mikey, but claimed it was in self-defence — a claim the jury rejected. Cunningham was found guilty of murder and detained for life, with a minimum of 16 years before being eligible for parole. Cartel Bushnell 6 Cartel Bushnell, 16, was found guilty of manslaughter. He admitted bringing a knife to the party and was involved in the events leading to Mikey's death. While Bushnell was acquitted of murder, he got nine years and six months, and will be eligible for parole after serving at least two-thirds of his sentence. Leo Knight 6 The third teenager, Leo Knight, 16, was also convicted of manslaughter. Unlike the others, he denied having a knife, but CCTV and forensic evidence linked him to the crime. Knight was also found guilty of possessing a bladed article and got nine years and six months behind bars, and will be eligible for parole after serving at least two-thirds of his sentence as well. All three boys were from the Wiltshire and Dorset areas, and had travelled to Bath for the party armed with knives. CCTV footage captured them discussing the incident and disposing of their weapons after fleeing the scene. The Honourable Mr Justice Saini, who presided over the sentencing, lifted previous reporting restrictions, allowing the boys to be named publicly due to the gravity of the crime and public interest. Mikey's mum Hayley Ryall said: 'Every morning I wake up and it hurts as much as the last morning. "I keep having awful dreams that Mikey is lost and I'm looking for him, but even the awful dreams are better than waking up to reality. "At least in my dreams he is somewhere, whereas in reality he is gone.' The Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids The Channel 5 documentary The Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids features Mikey's tragic case, as well as those of other young victims of peer violence. 6 The programme includes interviews with bereaved families, experts in youth crime and campaigners. Shedding light on the rise in murder convictions among 12 to 17-year-olds in the UK, the doc stresses the urgent need for preventative measures, as well as support for affected families. Executive producer Daniel Smith said: ' Child killers is a horrific topic that has been brought back to the top of the agenda by Adolescence, but this documentary is real life. "We want to thank all the contributors for sharing their personal stories and hope that by bringing them together, we have focussed on the shattering impact of these crimes and included experts to suggest how they might be prevented.' Commissioning editor Dan Louw said: 'This is a shocking and sobering film about a national emergency, and I challenge every parent to watch it. "For years we've written off growing levels of youth violence as a mere 'moral panic', but this film demonstrates that this approach is failing our kids, and victims of violence.' Channel 5 at 10pm on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
