Brian St Louis KC and Ruth Zentler-Munro represented Jyrelle O’Connor (aka ‘Loski’), who was tried at Croydon Crown Court on an indictment alleging; conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and as a lesser alternative, simple possession of the firearm and ammunition.
The police arrested Mr O’Connor for conspiracy to murder, relating to his suspected involvement in a ‘ride-out’ in which Angell Town gang members were targeted with a firearm. Upon arresting Mr O’Connor in a vehicle, the police discovered a loaded firearm. The Crown alleged that this firearm was held by Mr. O’Connor with the dual intention of attacking, thereby endangering the lives of any opposing gang members or using it to protect himself from serious attacks by others.
In order to prove Mr O’Connor’s intent to cause grievous bodily harm -in relation to the ‘ride out’- and his intent to endanger life using the firearm in his possession, the Crown alleged that he was a leading figure within the Harlem Spartans gang. The Crown supported its view by calling evidence of dozens of incidents of stabbings, shootings and murders perpetrated by or against the Harlem Spartans as part of a campaign of ‘tit for tat’ violence. Mr O’Connor denied that he was a member of any gang and asserted that his association with the Harlem Spartans was in connection to his music career.
The Crown subsequently offered no evidence on the conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and the Jury rejected the Crown’s case by acquitting him of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and convicting him only of the offences of possession of that firearm and its ammunition.
Brian and Ruth were instructed by Antonia Kim Charles of MTC Solicitors
