Gangland author Dave Courtney's stepson shot dead

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The stepson of gangland celebrity author Dave Courtney has been shot dead in a car.

Genson Courtney, 23, was found by police with gunshot wounds to the head and shoulder in a black Volkswagen Golf in Greenwich, south east London, at 10.50pm last night.

He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in nearby Woolwich, where he was pronounced dead at 3.45am this morning.

It is understood that the victim is the stepson of Dave Courtney, who has made a living out of making films and writing books about his underworld connections, mainly from the 1960s and 1970s.

Scotland Yard's Trident unit, which specialises in gun crime, has launched a murder inquiry.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Gower, who is leading the investigation, said: "I am appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious to contact the police.

"I would like to reassure anyone concerned about contacting the police that Trident has great expertise in protecting witnesses and there are a huge variety of measures that can be put in place to protect you."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Metropolitan Police incident room on 020 8733 4211 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.