A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl was shot in the head by a motorbike-riding gunman during an attempted assassination of rival gang members outside a busy Turkish restaurant in east London, the Old Bailey has heard.
The child was sitting with her family at the Evin restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Hackney, when six shots were fired at three men linked to the Hackney Turks gang on the evening of 29 May last year. A stray bullet lodged in the girl’s brain, leaving her fighting for life.
Ali Nasser, 43, Kenan Aydogdu, 45, and Mustafa Kiziltan, 38, were wounded in the drive-by shooting but survived. The girl required operations to rebuild her skull with titanium and spent three months in hospital before being allowed home, the court was told.
Decade-Long Gang War Behind Attack
Prosecutor James Mulholland KC told jurors the shooting was part of an ongoing dispute between the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the Bombacilars (Bombers). The two gangs have had an “intense rivalry” for more than a decade involving “extreme violence”.
“These two gangs have had an intense rivalry for well over a decade which has involved the use of extreme violence towards one another during that period,” Mr Mulholland said. “It is the prosecution case that what was intended was the murder of whomever was targeted.”
The prosecutor said members of the Tottenham Turks had ordered the “planned assassination of members of a rival gang”. Those seated outside the restaurant had affiliations with the Hackney Turks, while those who ordered the shooting were from the Tottenham Turks.
Girl Left with Life-Long Disabilities
The nine-year-old victim, who cannot be identified because of her age, will have physical and cognitive difficulties for the rest of her life, the court heard. CCTV footage of the attack was described as “distressing to watch”.
The girl’s family, from Birmingham, had been on a half-term trip to London and were “simply having dinner” when the “horrific” drive-by happened. Her grandmother revealed the child was on a ventilator with doctors unable to remove the bullet from her brain.
A family friend told reporters that doctors had begun reducing her sedation and she had shown signs of responsiveness, including squeezing her father’s hand. The family’s relatives in Kerala, southern India, spoke of their devastation at the shooting.
Defendant ‘Integral Part’ of Plot
Javon Riley, 33, of Farnborough, Hampshire, is on trial at the Old Bailey where he denies four charges of attempted murder and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent relating to the girl.
Prosecutors say Riley wasn’t a member of the Tottenham Turks but was linked to them and knew they were behind the shooting. He allegedly played “a key role” before, during and after the attempted murders.
It is clear from all the evidence that Javon Riley knew this was a job for individuals connected with Tottenham Turks, the level of violence required and the aim was to kill those seated outside the restaurant,” Mr Mulholland told the court.
Gunman on ‘Extremely Powerful’ Ducati
The court heard the gunman arrived on an “extremely powerful” red Ducati Monster motorbike and has never been arrested. Riley is alleged to have been “an integral part” of the plan, carrying out reconnaissance and helping the gunman escape.
After the shooting, the gunman rode to a nearby street where Riley was waiting in a stolen Nissan Juke on false plates. They “calmly” headed to north London before transferring into Riley’s Range Rover, the jury was told.
Vehicles used in the alleged plot were later torched, the court heard. Riley allegedly carried out reconnaissance of the restaurant and travelled past the scene several times to ensure the targets were present before the shooting.
Covert Recordings Reveal Gang Links
Mr Mulholland said covert recordings made in the months after the shooting showed Riley talking about Izzet Eren, who was linked to the Tottenham Turks. Eren was shot dead in Moldova on 10 July last year in what is believed to have been a revenge attack.
“You will hear in conversations covertly recorded in a car used by Javon Riley some time after the shooting that, although he was not a member of the Tottenham Turks, he clearly knew of them and was linked to them and that they were behind the shooting,” the prosecutor said.
Riley also discussed a man called “Kem”, who prosecutors say is Kemal Eren, “one of those closely involved in the Tottenham Turks”.
Revenge Killing in Moldova
Izzet Eren, 41, described as a senior leader of the Tottenham Turks, was shot seven times while sitting outside a cafe in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital. Three bullets struck him in the head, causing instant death.
The attacker, riding an electric scooter and wearing a helmet, fled the scene. Moldovan police described the incident as a professional killing, noting that drive-by shootings are rare in Moldova.
Eren had been jailed in London for 21 years in 2015 for being armed with a submachine gun to murder a rival. He was transferred to a Turkish prison in 2019 but escaped a month later and had been a fugitive since.
Restaurant Owner Describes Horror
Gazi Degirmenci, owner of the Evin restaurant, told reporters the child was “very lively” and was jumping on chairs when shots were fired. Witnesses described seeing families diving for cover under tables in scenes of chaos.
One diner said: “There was a big group having dinner in the rear. The big group paid up and left and shortly afterwards that’s when the loud bangs – which were obviously gunshots – happened. Everyone dived onto the floor and under the tables, it was chaos.”
The witness used his coat to stop bleeding from a leg wound while waiting for emergency services. I’d say it was around 10 to 15 minutes when the emergency services arrived. Police first, then NHS staff. They were very efficient,” he said.
Community Left in Shock
A Ladbrokes worker two doors down heard five shots and the sound of a motorbike before quickly shutting her shop. When she found out a child had been shot, she “started to cry”, adding: “I found a bullet last night when I was leaving.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said at the time: “As with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. The investigation is being led by our specialist crime colleagues.
The mayor of London said: “The thoughts and prayers of all Londoners are with the friends and loved ones of the innocent nine-year-old girl fighting for her life following the senseless and indiscriminate shooting in Dalston.
Trial Continues
Mr Mulholland told the jury: “The only reason someone did not die that night was luck and had nothing to do with Mr Riley.”
The prosecutor said: “The prosecution case is that this was a planned assassination of members of a rival gang by Mr Riley and others. This is evident from the degree of planning involved, his behaviour and comments before, during and after the event – as well as common sense.”
Riley has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial continues.
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