An innocent nine-year-old girl was shot in the head as she dined with her family in a restaurant after being caught in the crossfire of warring gangs, a court has heard.
The victim had been sitting inside a Turkish restaurant in Dalston, East London with members of her family when a gunman on a motorbike opened fire at rivals sitting outside in a botched gangland assassination.
One of the six shots fired within two seconds lodged in the girl’s brain causing devastating injuries, with doctors having to remove sections of her skull to save her life.
Today the alleged ‘organiser’ of the drive-by shooting, Javon Riley, 33, went on trial at the Old Bailey accused of four counts of attempted murder.
The court heard that the unintended victim of a long-running feud between two of London’s most feared gangs will suffer ‘physical and cognitive difficulties throughout her life’, with parts of the child’s skull replaced with a titanium plate.
The Old Bailey heard that the bullet remains lodged in the schoolgirl’s brain.
While the intended targets, Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu and Nasser Ali, who were seated with others outside the busy restaurant, escaped with less serious injuries and have since gone on to make a ‘reasonable recovery.’
The child, who cannot be named, was sitting inside the Evin restaurant in Hackney at 9.19pm on May 29 last year when a gunman on a Ducati Monster motorbike stopped on the road outside.
The shooter, who has never been traced, ‘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 little girl, jurors were told.
CCTV image issued by Metropolitan Police of the motorcyclist wanted in connection with the shooting at the restaurant in Kingsland High Street, Dalston who has never been traced
Prosecutor James Mulholland, KC, said Riley played a key role as ‘organiser and getaway driver’.
He is alleged have carried out extensive reconnaissance and may have been involved in the acquisition and disposal of the weapon.
The prosecutor said: ‘Some of the bullets missed the men.
‘One of these tragically struck a nine-year-old girl in the head and lodged in her brain.
‘She had been sitting at a table inside the restaurant with other members of her family.
‘Mr Kiziltan, Aydogdu and Ali were taken to Royal London Hospital where each was operated upon for serious injuries caused by bullet wounds to thigh, leg and backbone respectively.
‘Each appears to have made a reasonable recovery.’
But Mr Mulholland said the impact on the nine-year-old was ‘far greater’.
He told jurors: ‘The first of several intensive operations upon her took place at Great Ormond Street Hospital the day after the shooting to seek to address the damage caused by the bullet.
Forensic officers conducting a search outside the restaurant following the shooting
Images of the suspected gunman who has never been traced
‘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.’
The prosecutor went on: ‘The nine-year-old girl and her family arrived at 20.04pm and sat a table inside the restaurant behind five large glass panelled windows.
‘Unbeknownst to her family, individuals affiliated to the Hackney Turks also began to congregate at the restaurant, and its CCTV records their arrival.’
The gunman’s arrival was caught on a bike cam of a passing off-duty police officer.
He fired six shots in two seconds before fleeing the scene.
The prosecutor said: ‘Six shots are fired in quick succession with the gunman already moving off before the firing is complete.
‘An examination of the CCTV footage at Evin Restaurant reveals that the first shot tragically struck the nine-year-old girl on the right side of her head and she fell to the floor.
‘She had been eating with her family inside the restaurant.
‘The second shot travelled in a similar direction before remaining shots struck three of the group of men seated outside.’
Because of the extreme, life threatening nature of her injuries, the girl was quickly transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
‘An emergency operation took place to alleviate some of the damage caused by the bullet including an external ventricular drain, removing blood from the surface of the brain and a craniectomy which took away sections of the skull bone to the head to address the swelling of the brain and alleviate pressure.
‘Her recovery is ongoing and the bullet remains lodged in her brain.’
The court heard the shooting was ‘a planned assassination of members of a rival gang by Mr Riley and others.’
Police stand guard outside the scene of the shooting
Police carrying out searches in the wake of the shooting
Mr Mulholland said Riley made five trips past the restaurant that night in a stolen car and made contact with the gunman to give him the ‘green light’.
Riley was alleged to be wearing ‘mission clothing’ including a blue hooded top.
Mr Mulholland said: ‘The shooting appears to have been part of an ongoing dispute between two rival groups in London known as the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, also known as the ‘Bombacilars’, although the immediate reason for it was unknown.
‘These two gangs have had an intense rivalry for well over a decade which has involved the use of extreme violence.’
Although the gunman has not been apprehended, Riley was ‘vital in the carrying out of the plan to kill’, it was said.
Jurors heard Riley had been involved in planning for three weeks.
Mr Mulholland said: ‘He conveyed the gunman away from the scene, was instrumental in ensuring they both evaded capture and must have been involved in disposal of the firearm which he may also have provided.’
Riley, of Enfield, denies four counts of attempted murder and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent relating to the girl.
The trial continues.
