By Frank Offiong-
LONDON — A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting of a nine-year-old girl and three men outside a London restaurant, a crime linked to a long-running gang feud.
Javon Riley, 33, of Tottenham, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 34 years at the Old Bailey on Friday. He was found guilty of causing grievous harm with intent to the girl and of attempting to murder Mustafa Kiziltan, 35, Kenan Aydogdu, 45, and Nasser Ali, 44.
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Javon Riley, 33, of Tottenham. (Metropolitan Police)
The court heard that Riley acted as a hired spotter and getaway driver in the May 29, 2024, attack. A gunman on a passing motorbike fired six shots at the Evin Restaurant in Kingsland High Street, Hackney, hitting the nine-year-old girl in the head as she sat with her family. She spent three months in the hospital and is now living with a bullet lodged in her brain, which will cause lifelong physical and cognitive problems.
The three male victims, identified by prosecutors as being affiliated with the Hackney Turks organized crime gang, also suffered gunshot wounds. The court was told that the shooting was part of a “tit-for-tat” rivalry between the Hackney Turks and the Tottenham Turks, with whom Riley had links.
The gunman remains at large, but prosecutors said Riley played a “key role” in the attack by conducting reconnaissance of the restaurant, scouting targets, and driving the gunman away in a stolen car that was later burned.
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During the trial, Riley admitted to his role but claimed he believed the attack was a “smash-and-grab” robbery, not a shooting. He refused to identify the person who hired him, citing fears for his and his family’s safety.
Scotland Yard is offering a reward of up to £15,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of the gunman.
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