Gunman Gets 30 Years For Shooting Rival

A gunman, who tried to kill a bitter drugs rival by chasing and blasting him in the chest on a St. Alban's housing estate, was caged for thirty years yesterday.

Andre Ryan, 22, (pic.top) of Belmont Court, Belmont Hill missed 24 year-old Jahan Malik with his first shot, but was captured on CCTV firing his shotgun a second time in front of witnesses.

His accomplice, Anthony Ajayi, 22, (pic.mid.) of Coningsby Bank received six years for his role in the shooting.

A series of disputes over cannabis, money, damage to a vehicle and a nightclub confrontation resulted in the June 5 confrontation in Praetorian Court.

Ryan was found guilty by a Croydon Crown Court jury of attempted murder; possession of a firearm, with intent to endanger life and possession of a police baton and meat cleaver as offensive weapons. He admitted unlawful possession of a .410 calibre shotgun.

Ajayi was cleared of attempted murder and inflicting grievous bodily harm, but found guilty of possession of a firearm, with intent to endanger life and possession of the police baton as an offensive weapon. He had admitted possessing the cleaver.

“We are dealing here with a feud between rivals in the drugs trade in St. Alban's, that is obvious,” said Judge Nicholas Ainley.

“A debt as little as five hundred pounds seems to have been at least one of the causes of what happened, plus a simmering background.”

Prosecutor Miss Isabel Delamere told the court: “Two to three months before there had been some altercation in a St. Alban's nightclub, with one looking at another and talk of a fight.

“It is also said Mr. Malik (pic.bottom) angered Ryan by making him wait over the supply of some cannabis.”

Ryan previously attacked a van Mr. Malik was travelling in with a hammer while Ajayi held the door closed to prevent him escaping, but never paid for the damage he caused, the jury were told.

On the morning of the shooting Ajayi was “extremly angry and aggressive” while making an 8am visit to the home of a friend of Mr. Malik.

This resulted in Mr. Malik and that friend visiting Ajayi's address and banging on the front door while only the defendant's girlfriend was inside.

“There was also a heated argument with shouting and swearing between Mr. Malik and whoever was down the end of the phone, either Ryan or Ajayi,” added Miss Delamere.

“You decided to go out for a fight with your enemy Malik and decided to do it armed with a loaded and cocked gun,” Judge Ainley told Ryan.

“You, Ajayi had armed yourself with a meat cleaver, a weapon that could easily have caused death and could have maimed anyone it was used against.

“You pulled out a police baton and Malik was there with a dog and baseball bat, but when the CCTV was pointed out to you, you realised it was madness to carry on.

“You tried to stop Ryan, you failed, and you Ryan shot at Malik once.

“I do not accept you thought he had a gun and then you chased him and tried to murder him and you fired that gun a second time.

“It is great fortune that he survived, but he was seriously injured and these injuries will last a very long time.

“These are offences of the gravest seriousness,”

In the momernts before the shooting, which took place at 10.30am, Mr. Malik had a baseball bat in one hand and a dog on a lead in the other.

“When he was shot he had neither and was seen to run across the car park, chased by Ryan, and seen raising his hand in obvious surrender, posing no threat to this defendant,” said Miss Delamere.

“That is when he was shot at a seond time.”

Mr. Malik was rushed to hospital by air ambulance and recovered from his injury.