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Sabrina Moss killers found guilty of murder and attempted murder Sabrina Moss killers found guilty of murder and attempted murder
(about 3 hours later)
Three men have been found guilty of murdering a young mother who became caught up in a bloody drugs turf war during a night out celebrating her 24th birthday on 23 August last year. Nursery schoolteacher Sabrina Moss and her friend Sabrina Gachette were gunned down in the street by two hooded men armed with a machine gun and a shot gun. Moss was shot in the heart and died later in hospital. Gachette was hit in the back by more than 50 gunshot pellets and was lucky to survive. Three men have been found guilty of murdering a young mother who became caught up in a bloody drugs turf war during a night out celebrating her 24th birthday on 23 August last year.
Jurors was told they were not the intended targets and were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, sheltering from the rain with a group of about 15 others outside a fast food restaurant in north west London. Nursery schoolteacher Sabrina Moss and her friend Sabrina Gachette were gunned down in the street by two hooded men armed with a machine gun and a shotgun. Moss was shot in the heart and died in hospital. Gachette was hit in the back by more than 50 shotgun pellets and was lucky to survive.
Drug dealers Hassan Hussain, Yasin James and Martell Warren were convicted of Moss's murder and the attempted murder of Gachette after a 10-week trial at the Old Bailey. Jurors were told the women were not the intended targets but in the wrong place at the wrong time, sheltering from the rain with a group of about 15 others outside a fast food restaurant in north-west London.
Moss's family were in court throughout the trial in which Sabrina Gachette gave evidence. Her mother wept as the verdicts were delivered. All men will be sentenced on 12 September. Drug dealers Hassan Hussain, Yasin James and Martell Warren were convicted of Moss's murder and the attempted murder of Gachette, after a 10-week trial at the Old Bailey.
Jurors were told Moss, who had recently moved into a new flat in Neasden with her partner and their four-year-old son, had taken the day off work to get ready for her birthday party, meeting friends at home. That evening they went to the Love & Liquor nightclub in Kilburn High Road, north west London. Moss's family were in court throughout the trial in which Gachette gave evidence. Moss's mother wept as the verdicts were delivered. The men will be sentenced on 12 September.
Meanwhile, Warren, Hussain and James planned the shooting carefully, carrying out surveillance on their targets before launching their attack an hour before dawn outside the Woody Grill. Jurors were told Moss, who had recently moved into a flat in Neasden with her partner and their four-year-old son, had taken the day off work to get ready for her birthday party, meeting friends at home. That evening they went to the Love & Liquor nightclub in Kilburn High Road.
Gachette, 25, said: "There was no warning. I thought someone had thrown a brick at me. Then because of the explosion I thought it was a firework. Sabrina was in front of me and that was when I heard her say she had been shot in her heart. That is the last thing I remember hearing her say. Warren, Hussain and James had planned the shooting carefully, carrying out surveillance on their targets before launching their attack an hour before dawn outside the Woody Grill.
Gachette, 25, said: "There was no warning. I thought someone had thrown a brick at me. Then, because of the explosion, I thought it was a firework. Sabrina was in front of me and that was when I heard her say she had been shot in her heart. That is the last thing I remember hearing her say.
"You hear of stabbings, gangland murders – you don't expect people to do things like this when there are innocent people around. It's scary to think that you are just out minding your own business and someone can creep up behind you and do something like that. They didn't know you and you know for sure you don't know them.""You hear of stabbings, gangland murders – you don't expect people to do things like this when there are innocent people around. It's scary to think that you are just out minding your own business and someone can creep up behind you and do something like that. They didn't know you and you know for sure you don't know them."
The women were thrown together with the intended targets of the shooting – members of the South Kilburn gang – because it was raining and they had taken shelter under a shop awning by the Woody Grill. By chance they were joined by Edson Da Silva, Mahad Ahmed and their friends, all suspected members of the South Kilburn gang. They were unaware that the killers had been watching the SKG group all night. The women had taken shelter from rain under a shop awning near the Woody Grill. By chance they were joined by Edson Da Silva, Mahad Ahmed and their friends, all suspected members of the South Kilburn gang. They were unaware that the killers had been watching the group all night.
The killers hid behind a parked car for 14 minutes before walking out in to the junction of Messina Avenue and Kilburn High Road. CCTV cameras captured two gunmen – Hussain and James – approaching the scene with their hoods up and carrying a Mac-10submachine gun and a sawn-off shotgun. The killers hid behind a parked car for 14 minutes before approaching twith their hoods up and carrying a Mac-10submachine gun and a sawn-off shotgun – a scene captured on CCTV.
The gunmen could not have failed to spot the young women in their party clothes amid the rest of the group dressed in casual streetwear, the court heard. Dressed in a bright red dress and high heels, Moss would have stood out from the crowd like a beacon in the night, the Old Bailey was told. The gunmen could not have failed to spot the women in their party clothes amid the rest of the group dressed in casual streetwear, the court heard. Dressed in a bright red dress and high heels, Moss would have stood out from the crowd like a beacon in the night, the Old Bailey was told.
Regardless, Hussain discharged the machine gun six times and James fired both barrels of the shotgun at near point blank range before fleeing in a car driven by Warren. One of the other party guests, Zoe Ross, told jurors: "I just remember sitting there and hearing what I thought was fireworks. Regardless, Hussain discharged the machine gun six times and James fired both barrels of the shotgun at near point-blank range before fleeing in a car driven by Warren. One of the other party guests, Zoe Ross, told jurors: "I just remember sitting there and hearing what I thought was fireworks.
"All I remember is turning my head towards the shutter. I could just see lights and lights, it just felt like it was coming closer and closer, and it got to a point where I realised we needed to get out of there.""All I remember is turning my head towards the shutter. I could just see lights and lights, it just felt like it was coming closer and closer, and it got to a point where I realised we needed to get out of there."
Gachette, who still has many of the pellets inside her body, wept as she told the court: "My whole upper body just shook and I went down to the ground.Gachette, who still has many of the pellets inside her body, wept as she told the court: "My whole upper body just shook and I went down to the ground.
"As I went down there was this loud sound. It was like a really big bomb sound. I expected a hole in the ground. I opened my eyes and in front of me was Sabrina (Moss). Then she said: 'I've been shot in my heart'." "As I went down there was this loud sound. It was like a really big bomb sound. I expected a hole in the ground. I opened my eyes and in front of me was Sabrina [Moss]. Then she said: 'I've been shot in my heart.'"
"Until that point I didn't know what was happening. I thought it was fireworks.""Until that point I didn't know what was happening. I thought it was fireworks."
The two gunmen then ran back to Warren in the getaway car before driving away from the scene. The two gunmen then ran back to Warren in the getaway car who drove off.
Although the exact reason for the shooting was unclear, it was connected to a drug-dealing turf war. Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said the attack took place against a "backdrop of violent tension and animosity" between the groups of young men. "The reason for that is not clear but it was serious. It was deep-seated, so deep-seated that it was enough to occupy their activities for most of the darkness hours," he said.Although the exact reason for the shooting was unclear, it was connected to a drug-dealing turf war. Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said the attack took place against a "backdrop of violent tension and animosity" between the groups of young men. "The reason for that is not clear but it was serious. It was deep-seated, so deep-seated that it was enough to occupy their activities for most of the darkness hours," he said.
Hussain, 29, of Willesden; Warren, 23, from Kensal Green; and James, 20, from Wembley, were also found guilty of two further counts of attempted murder – of Mahad Ahmed and Edson Da'Silva – possession of a Mac-10 machine gun with intent to endanger life, and possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life. Hussain, 29, of Willesden; Warren, 23, from Kensal Green; and James, 20, from Wembley, were also found guilty of two further counts of attempted murder – of Mahad Ahmed and Edson Da Silva – possession of a Mac-10 machine gun with intent to endanger life, and possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life.
And they were found guilty, along with a fourth defendant – Simon Baptiste, 29, from Cricklewood – of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm between August 22 and August 25 last year. They and a fourth defendant – Simon Baptiste, 29, from Cricklewood – were found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm between August 22 and August 25 last year.
On the verdicts, Gachette said: "Justice has not only been served for us as victims, it has been done for the community – there are violent people off the streets." Of the verdicts, Gachette said: "Justice has not only been served for us as victims, it has been done for the community – there are violent people off the streets."
The court heard that Warren was a convicted drug dealer and member of the Kensal Green Boys or Bloods, known as the KGB. There was heavy security in court when he gave evidence in the witness box and implicated Hussain and James in the shooting but denied his own involvement, saying he was just there to do a drug deal.The court heard that Warren was a convicted drug dealer and member of the Kensal Green Boys or Bloods, known as the KGB. There was heavy security in court when he gave evidence in the witness box and implicated Hussain and James in the shooting but denied his own involvement, saying he was just there to do a drug deal.
In turn, Hussain and James said Warren was a "dirty lying scumbag" who had only named them to protect the real killers. Hussain and James said Warren was a "dirty lying scumbag" who had only named them to protect the real killers.
Hussain had a history of violence, with a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for five years for stabbing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend six times. James said in his evidence that he was affiliated to a different gang from Warren, the Wembley Forni Dons. Baptiste did not give evidence.Hussain had a history of violence, with a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for five years for stabbing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend six times. James said in his evidence that he was affiliated to a different gang from Warren, the Wembley Forni Dons. Baptiste did not give evidence.
The jury was told that the Mac-10 machine gun that killed Moss had been used before in the West Midlands and in London in 2009, 2012, and January last year at the Poolcrest snooker club in Kilburn High Road. The jury was told the Mac-10 machine gun that killed Moss had been used before in the West Midlands and in London in 2009, 2012, and January last year at the Poolcrest snooker club in Kilburn High Road.
Although there was no suggestion that Hussain carried out those shootings, police said the gang he was affiliated with had control of the gun.Although there was no suggestion that Hussain carried out those shootings, police said the gang he was affiliated with had control of the gun.