10 cases where anonymous witnesses helped secure a conviction

Michael Dosumnu

Abdi Noor, 22, and Mohammed Sannoh, 19, guilty of south London murder of the schoolboy, who was shot dead with a Mac-10 sub-machine gun as he slept after being mistaken for his brother Hakeem Dosumnu who shared the bedroom (and had been in the Army). They both received jail terms of a minmum of 30 years . A fter the jury took 9 days deliberating to reach a verdict , Judge Stephen Kramer said: "This was a planned and premeditated killing. It was an execution." ...."You both, quite probably acting with another person or others, carried out this killing in an act of revenge." After reporting restrictions were lifted the full story of violent criminals , dishonour amongst thieves, and the death of a gang member can be found here at BBC online.

Magda Pniewska

Armel Gnango, 17, guilty of murder of the Polish nurse after she was caught in a crossfire during a shoot-out in south London as she walked home from work. The teenager was convicted even though he did not fire the fatal shot. Prosecutors said he was still responsible for the killing because he was involved in the gunfight. The Judge gave him 20 years for murder and also gave him a minimum 12-year sentence for attempted murder and a five-year sentence for possession of a firearm.(Daily Mail 23rd June 2008)

Police believe it was a second youth (un-named) , who had been wearing a bandana, firing at Gnango who fatally wounded Miss Pniewska.Gnango, has so far refused to co-operate in identifying him.

Toni Ann Byfield and Bertram Byfield

Joel Smith was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment in 2006 for the murder of 7 year old girl Toni Ann Byfield, who was under the care of Birmingham Social Services and was shot in the back because she was the only witness to the murder of her drug dealer father, Bertram Byfield. She was visiting Mr Byfield in his bedsit in an ex-offenders' hostel in North London on the day the pair were killed - after their deaths it became apparent that Bertram was, not, as she thought , her natural father.(BBC Online)

Smith, believed he had committed the perfect crime, leaving no witnesses or clues and he did not leave any DNA or forensic evidence and there was no CCTV in the area.

It was 2 years later when he was in prison in Liverpool that people who knew him identified him as the killer.

Roselyn Richards, the mother of Toni-Ann Byfield issued a statement through her solicitors after the trial , " I believe that Joel Smith did not act alone and hope police enquiries will continue to arrest, prosecute and convict others involved in this terrible crime so they join him behind bars."

Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare

Marcus Ellis (half brother to Charlene) and Rodrigo Simms , Nathan Martin (whose brother Yohanne's death precipitated the murders) who was acquitted of murder , Michael Gregory, (whose sister Leona had been Yohanne's girlfriend and mother of his child) and Rodrigo "Sonny" Simms were convicted of shooting dead the teenagers at a hair salon at New Year in Birmingham in 2003. They were the innocent bystanders present at a party where a gangland feud between rival drugs gangs in Birmingham attempted to settle old scores.

The murder was carefully planned with the involvement of specially purchased untraceable mobile phones, the purchase of a car (and burning ti out to remove evidence) and the tinting of it's wondows to prevemt identity of the occupants and use of a Mac10 sub-machine gun, apparently nicknamed the "spray and pray", as the fierce recoil makes accurate aiming very difficult. (BBC Online)

Tafarwa Beckford, was acquitted of murder on the judge's directions because the only evidence against him came from a witness, known as Mark Brown, who the judge concluded had been lying.

Zainab Kalokoh

Roberto Malasi was sentenced to 30 years for shooting the 31-year-old mother in the head with a 9mm automatic pistol after bursting in on a christening in south London while she was cradling her baby in 2005. His gang mmbers also convicted included Diamond Babamuboni, 17, his brother Timy, 15, and Jude Odigie, 16 - The four, (all Angolan illegal immigrants) wearing masks, ran into the christening party on the Wood Dene Estate in Peckham, south London, with the intention to rob guests. The three boys were given 16 years. (Full story of their history of crime here)

As Mrs Kalokoh lay dying with a bullet in her head, the raiders stripped guests of valuables. The baby, her niece, was unharmed.

The jury in the trial concerning Ms Zainab Kalokoh , who wasa regugee from Sierra Leone was not told that two weeks after her murder on September 11 2005, the defendant dragged student teacher Ruth Okechukwu from a car and stabbed her through the heart.

That court heard Malasi had accused Miss Okechukwu of disrespecting him, following a telephone conversation with one of her friends.

Noel Patterson, Lorna Morrison and Connie Morrison

Rohan Chung 30, and Michael George Letts 36, were convicted of the 2006 triple murders of the innocent stepfather and two sisters, in revenge for their brother allegedly double crossing the killers in a drug deal.

Chung , who used a variety of aliases whilst running drug dealing ring, (he had been deported for gun offences but returned illegally) was determined to exact revenge on Morgan “Indian” Morrison, 30, a man he believed had cheated him out of 4kg of cocaine. The pair burst in, discovered Mr Morrison was not at home and took their anger out on his family.

Their bodies were dragged to the corner of the room and piled up. The men left, abandoning the eight-month-old infant of Lorna Morrison on the bloodstained floor.

They were ordered to serve a minimum tariff of 40 years.

Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson, Met's Operation Trident, said:
"This conviction is the result of a detailed investigation by officers from Operation Trident, and the bravery of witnesses who were literally in fear of their lives.

Lee Subaran (Street name "Gangsta")

Three members of the "Mus Luv Crew", Leon Roberts, Tafari Dacas and Shane Taylor are all serving a minimum of 30 years for shooting dead Lee Subaran because he showed them "disrespect" at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2005. He and his brother Tyrone were surrounded by up to ten men, the jury heard and a number of them then produced guns and shot him a point blank range. He was hit in the neck and back and had died by the time he reached hospital.

A fourth man, Tunde Thomas, 30, of Kensal Green, north-west London was cleared of murder.

Jason Greene

Christopher Toussaint-Collins is serving at least 25 years after he was convicted of shooting dead the 29-year-old in front of his two sons on the school run in north London in 2006. His eight year-old son was sitting beside him in the passenger seat and there were other children in the area going to school when the shooting took place. Jason Greene's brother Gavin Greene was shot at in February 2005 and a month later Shaun "Stunts" Stanislas, the man thought to be responsible, was shot dead.

Jurors were told Toussaint-Collins (19 at the time) was in a car that was lying in wait but the man who pulled trigger has never been caught.

Judge Peter Beaumont, the Recorder of London, told Toussaint-Collins: "You did not pull the trigger but you were complicit in a (pre-meditated) killing that took place in broad daylight in a residential area as members of the public passed."

Richard Holmes

Carl Dobson (AKA rap star Crazy Titch ) and Anthony Green are serving a minimum tariff of 30 years for the murder of the 21-year-old music producer in a row about rap lyrics in 2005.

Dobson and his associate, Anthony Green, 35, confronted Mr Holmes, 21, because he had made the mistake of allying himself with the upcoming garage star Shaba Shah. Shah, 16, known as Shaba Shak, had released a track insulting Dobson's half-brother, Dwayne Mahorn, 25, also a rapper known as Durrty Goodz.

A handgun was held to the victim's head before he was shot in the back as he tried to escape. The attackers also shot him in the leg with a Mach 10 machine gun.

Mahorn, of Chingford, east London, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.(Guradian 3/1/06)

Andre Linton

Jermaine Campbell was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years in 2005 for the murder of the 22-year-old. CCTV footage showed Andre and his cousin Torraine were driving along Buller Road, Wood Green, at about 11 pm in February, when the notorious gang - know as Money Over Bitches, surrounded his vehicle and Campbell killed him with a single shot to the heart with a converted imitation firearm - allegedly for giving the killer a "disrespectful look".

Five other gang members who were with him that night are still at large.

In the previous 8 weeks Police had recorded , 20 incidents of violent disorder most involving guns or knives as violence increased between two groups of youths in Haringey. The murder of Mr Linton was investigated by Operation Trident which investigates gun crime in black communities.

21/7 Flour Power bombers

UPDATE :"Michael Bexhill" gave evidence to the 21/7 flour power bombers from a special table situated directly below, and therefore out of view, of the public gallery. What the judge described as "monstrous" screens up in front of the defendants' glass tunnel dock to shield him from their eyes.

Press benches were cleared and journalists moved to the public gallery.

Mr Justice Fulford had also granted him anonymity and the name on the witness list, Michael Bexhill, was completely fictitious.

Mr Justice Fulford was anxious to make it clear to the jury that they should read nothing into the deployment of such elaborate measures.

The judge made it clear that the defendants knew full well who he was and the jurors too were given a piece of paper on which Bexhill had written his real name.

The Judge warned the jury that they should not read anything more into them, and added:

"The fact that there are screens does not mean that the witness is being honest or dishonest or anything in between.

"The screens are completely irrelevant." Apparently the architect of Woolwich Crown Court had failed to include a curtain rail (and presumably a curtain) to screen witnesses.

He said Bexhill had sought these measures for his own peace of mind and he had decided to grant them.

Initial list from Daily Telegraph Saturday June 26th 2008

Evidently is is impossible to form any judgement how these cases (and others as yet not identified) will be affected (if at all) by the Iain Davis appeal. The Crown Prosecution Service are currently assembling details of cases that could be affected, which will necessarily take time. Time ideally spent in pursuing further successful criminal prosecutions.

Any decision to appeal is of course a decision of the accused/defendant and their legal advisors, as most of the above found guilty are serving 20 plus years in prison and will have any such appeal paid for by public funds it is difficult to believe they will not appeal.

By any measure these people are violent killers. Should an appeal be successful, it is impossible that they could be given a fair trial even if further evidence is found of their guilt. Witnesses may in certain circumstances throw off the shroud of anonymity in the belief that the continued imprisonment of the accused may afford them safety from intimidation or worse.

Such are the consequences of re-shaping the law without resort to statute.

We remain to discover what the consequences of war criminals Mr Straw's hasty attempts at legislation will be. It is vital that the lawmakers listen very carefully to the advice of practising lawyers in framing a law to provide anonymity in criminal cases and also that they take full cognisance of EU Human Rights obligations.

If the legislation is rushed and botched in the process, it will further set back the problems of dealing with these armed and violent criminals in our midst.