Five members of a gang have been sentenced to prison for the murder of 22-year-old Imani Allaway-Muir in a daylight shooting near a children’s playground in Islington.
Demetrios Kyriacou, 35, of Liverpool Road, Islington, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 31 years at the Old Bailey on Friday, 25 November. He was found guilty of murdering Imani Allaway-Muir.
Nathaniel Reece, 41, of Southgate Road, Islington, who fired the fatal shots, also received a life sentence with a minimum term of 33 years and two months after pleading guilty to murder.
Matthew Hardy, 36, of Six Acres Estate, Islington, was sentenced to 7½ years in prison, while Darren Dredge, 41, received 8½ years for manslaughter after being cleared of murder charges. Hardy was also given an additional 18 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs. James Nicholson, 36, with no fixed address, is due to be sentenced for manslaughter at a later date.
Following the trial, Kyriacou admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, as well as possession of criminal property. Dredge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and possession of criminal property. Their drug-related sentences will run concurrently with their prison terms.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command commented on the case: “Imani was a young man with his whole life ahead of him, but by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was tragically killed in broad daylight just metres from a children’s playground and a busy football pitch. Kyriacou refused police help after his robbery and recruited his friends to take deadly revenge. Their joint actions resulted in Imani’s cold execution. We worked tirelessly to bring these killers to justice. There is never an excuse for gun violence, and we remain committed to removing dangerous weapons and those who carry them from London’s streets.”
In a heartfelt statement read out in court, Imani’s mother, Keetha, expressed her grief: “The pain we feel is unimaginable. Imani was the ‘glue’ to our family and loved by so many. A mother should never have to bury her son. July 4 will haunt me forever. Every time I close my eyes, I see his lifeless body covered in blood. I couldn’t hold or comfort him in his final moments. The worst pain was not being able to kiss him or assure him I was there. Imani was innocent and unaware of the robbery that led to his murder. He was scared when the defendants appeared with a gun and shot him. Our hearts will be broken until we are reunited with our precious Imani.”
The tragic events unfolded on 4 July 2020, when Kyriacou was robbed on Carville Street, N4. His Rolex watch, cash, and iPhone were taken by four men in a black BMW. Although police spoke to Kyriacou, he refused to provide further details about the robbery.
Kyriacou then recruited friends to track down the stolen items using the ‘Find My iPhone’ app. The group gathered at Faraday Close in Roman Way, N7, where they found the stolen property and a group of people including Imani. Moments later, Reece fired multiple shots, fatally wounding Imani, who was innocent and caught in the crossfire.
The gun used in the shooting was later disposed of by Nicholson and has never been recovered. Despite the efforts of emergency services, Imani was pronounced dead 30 minutes after the shooting, having sustained four bullet wounds.
Police recovered 14 bullet casings, phones and SIM cards belonging to Kyriacou, and the suspects’ getaway car at the scene. The court heard that while Reece pulled the trigger, all the other defendants were involved in planning and carrying out the crime.
The Metropolitan Police’s detailed investigation, which included CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), established the defendants’ guilt. All suspects were arrested between July 2020 and February 2021.
In addition to his life sentence, Kyriacou received concurrent jail terms of 10½ years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, 3½ years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, and 3 years 9 months for possession of criminal property.
Originally published by UKNIP.
