Crime Desk

Five men have been sentenced to a total of 39 years in prison for their part in a drive-by shooting in Limehouse.

The men had all denied their part in the incident in Devons Road E3 on 6 March 2024 but were found guilty following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Eugene Newland, 20 (10.8.90), of Omega Close E14, was given an indeterminate sentence to serve a minimum of 12 years in prison for attempted murder;

Vernon Lee, 23 (8.8.87), of Charnwood Gardens E14, was given an indeterminate sentence to serve a minimum of eight years in prison for Section 18 GBH and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life;

Anton Ekprikpo, 22 (28.1.88), of Hedley House, Stewart Street E14, was given an indeterminate sentence to serve a minimum of eight years in prison for Section 18 GBH;

Kiley Brown, 33 (21.10.77), of Shaw Crescent E14, was given an indeterminate sentence to serve a minimum of seven years in prison for GBH with intent;

Brenton Roper, 35 (24.1.76), of Burgess Street E14, was jailed for four years for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Shortly before midnight on 6 March, Brown, Roper and another man (Victim 1) left a pub in Devons Road and got into Brown's Audi A3 which was parked outside.

They were then approached by four men on two high-powered motorbikes who began firing shots at the Audi. The Audi began to chase the bikes, whose riders continued to shoot at the car. Victim 1 was shot in the shoulder.

One of the bikes crashed in Burdett Road E3 and both men riding it - later identified as Lee and Newland - left the scene.

The Audi continued to chase the second bike which also crashed, in Copperfield Road E3. The rider made off and has never been identified but the pillion passenger, Ekprikpo, was impaled upside down on a fence.

He was approached by Brown who took a gun from him and shot him four times. Brown then handed the gun to Roper who made off.

Brown and Ekprikpo were arrested at the scene with the others involved identified later and also arrested.

Ekprikpo was taken to the Royal London Hospital in a serious condition with gunshot wounds and collision injuries but later recovered.