Three men jailed for life after footballer murdered in rival gangs feud

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Three men have been jailed for life for the murder of a young footballer who was fatally shot in the head during a long-standing gang feud.

Taylor Cox, 19, died in hospital after suffering an unsurvivable injury when he was shot in an alleyway in Hornsey, north London, on June 8 2021.

The killing happened amid a violent feud between rival street gangs, the Old Bailey was told.

Mr Cox, who had been stabbed in the past, was a member of the A Team gang associated with the N19 London postcode, the court was told.

The three killers were linked to a rival NOL gang which was involved with drug dealing.

The court heard they found out Mr Cox and a friend were on a “ride-out” on their turf, prompting them to set out with at least one gun.

During the shooting, at least four .32 calibre bullets were fired from the same gun, likely to be a revolver, which was never found.

Following a retrial at the Old Bailey, Robel Michael, 22, of Islington, Jaden McGibbon, 22, of Crouch End, and Sichem Mangituka-Mpelo, 22, from Holloway, were found guilty of his murder.

Jailing the men for life on Friday, Judge Rebecca Trowler KC set a minimum term of 27 years for Michael and 26 years for McGibbon and Mangituka-Mpelo.

McGibbon’s then-girlfriend Dunila Idrissi Oukili, 21, from Camden, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for two years.

She had rented a flat for McGibbon to lay low in, bought a new telephone Sim card and arranged transport and a change of hairstyle for him.

Two misfired cartridges and cases had also been recovered from her handbag four days after the incident.

Members of Mr Cox’s family, who sat through two trials, returned to the Old Bailey to see the defendants sent down.

A statement from Kerri Cox described her son as a “kind, happy and loving child” who was close to his two siblings.

She said he had “dreamt of becoming a footballer”, having played for Finchley Revolution Football Club before being signed to Borehamwood Football Club at the age of 16.

At the time of his death, he was studying to be a mechanic at college in St Albans, she said.

Ms Cox said: “Taylor was always very thoughtful and put others before himself. If he had spare pocket money he would share it with his little sister.

“On June 8, Taylor was playing computer games at home. Little did we know when he left home he would never come back.

“Taylor was shot in the head and as soon as I heard I went to the hospital to be at Taylor’s bedside.

“I had to go through the traumatic experience of having to identify Taylor as no one was sure it was him.

“The loss of a child in these circumstances is the hardest thing – there are no words to describe the pain and loss I feel every day.

“His life was taken too soon for no reason.”

She added: “We miss him dearly. It’s broken all our hearts.”

On the fate of the three men who killed her son, Ms Cox added: “Whatever sentence they get will never be enough. They will still be able to speak to their family on the phone whereas we will never get to speak to Taylor again.”

Mitigating for McGibbon, Nicholas Corsellis KC said the case should serve as a “warning” to young men against becoming involved with gangs.

He said the shooting was “an eruption of violence stemming from gang culture”.

Sentencing, Judge Trowler said: “Taylor’s death has taken a heavy toll on his family in different ways.

“There is no punishment that can bring Taylor back or undo the irreparable damage caused by his murder.”

“I can recognise the family’s dignity and courage that they sat through two trials and the strength they have shown.”

Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “This was a targeted attack on a young man who should have had the rest of his life ahead of him.

“It saddens me to see so many young lives cut short by violence on the streets of our capital.

“The loss of freedom the defendants are about to face, serve as a warning to any others who think that conflict of any kind can be resolved with weapons and violence.

“My thoughts are with Taylor’s family. While nothing can bring him back, I hope that today’s sentencing brings them a degree of comfort.”

Aimee Stokes, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Taylor’s murder was a result of a long-running and violent feud between rival gangs in London, and it is shocking that McGibbon, Michael and Mpelo were clearly willing to use a firearm to murder Taylor in broad daylight.

“This extraordinary level of violence, in a residential area, will understandably cause concern for the local community, but we hope that today’s sentence will bring a measure of comfort that justice has been delivered.

“Our thoughts remain with Taylor’s family.”