Five men have been jailed for a total of more than 75 years over the murder of a Leeds gang member.
Steven Grey, 39, and Jonathan Gledhill, 38, were found guilty of murdering Christopher Lewis in what prosecutors said was a gang-related 'execution'.
Mr Lewis, who was a member of Chapeltown-based gang The Flock, was shot in the head the doorstep of the house he lived in with his mother on Reginald Street in Chapeltown on August 1 last year.
The 24-year-old dad-of-one died in hospital the following day.
Grey, of Town Street, Armley, was unanimously found guilty of murder and jailed for life with a minimum of 32 years and 136 days.
Gledhill, of Dib Lane, Roundhay, was found guilty of murder by a majority of 10-1 and jailed for life with a minimum of 31 years and 136 days.
Denzil Browne (Junior), 24, of Oaklands Crescent, Gipton, Owen Clarke, 27, of Haw Avenue, Yeadon, and Grey's cousin Lewis Pearce, 27, previously of Sholebroke Street, Chapeltown, were unanimously found guilty of assisting an offender.
Browne (Junior), Clarke and Pearce were each jailed for four years.
Pearce's sentence will be served consecutively to the 18-month sentence he is already serving for possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and possession of criminal property.
Read through our live blog coverage for all the key points from the trial and the sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court.
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Key Events
Summary of the sentencing
You can read a summary of today’s sentencing hearing here.
Summary of the sentencing hearing
Click here to read our summary of today’s sentencing hearing.
The judge told the defendants this morning: “This [gang rivalry] has been going on for over two years.
“It is equally clear that this violence is not random, but surrounds a group called The Flock on the one hand and others including yourselves, and others you associate with.
“I am also satisfied that this is drug related and that you finance your lifestyles by the buying and selling of Class A drugs.
“That puts you conflict with The Flock.”
Witnesses were 'reluctant to come forward' to give evidence in the trial out of 'fear of violence'
Detective superintendent Dunkerley continued: “This has been a very challenging investigation, where witnesses were reluctant to come forward through fear of violence, and it took lengthy and painstaking enquiries to build up the evidence that has resulted in these convictions.
“We hope the successful conclusion of this case will provide some sense of justice for Christopher’s family. It should also serve as a stark warning to others of the serious penalties that those who involve themselves in crimes such as this can expect.
“West Yorkshire Police continues to work closely with a range of partner agencies to identify young people at risk of involvement in gang activity and to divert them away from it. We also have specialist officers at both district and Force level who will continue to target organised crime groups involved in the supply of drugs and the associated criminal use of firearms.”
Police condemn 'bad man' status surrounding Mr Lewis' murder
Detective superintendent Jim Dunkerley, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Christopher Lewis’s family are still suffering the daily pain and anguish that goes with losing a loved one in such sudden and violent circumstances.
“He was only twenty-four years of age and had his whole life ahead of him. His family have been robbed of any future with him by those responsible for his murder.
“He was shot and fatally wounded in a planned and targeted attack that took place outside his home in broad daylight. It was a brutal act that can only be properly described as a cold-blooded execution.
“Regardless of his own involvement in crime, there can never be any justification for taking someone’s life like this.
“The trial has heard a great deal of evidence about the feuding between organised criminal gangs, including the use of firearms, that served as the wider context to his murder. It is clear that there are individuals in that world who think they can take that ‘lifestyle’ to the extreme with deadly consequences for their rivals.
“There is absolutely nothing glamorous or attractive about what occurred here.
“When you scratch beneath the surface of the rap videos, gang signs, graffiti and supposed ‘bad man’ status that surrounds the murder of Christopher Lewis, you find only cowardly behaviour that appals all decent and right-thinking members of the community. All those involved should be utterly ashamed of what they have done.”
Police presence outside court
There were at least six uniformed police officers outside court as the victim and defendants’ families and friends left the court.
"I beg that this cycle of violence stops"
Click here to read Mr Lewis’ mum’s victim personal statement.
Browne (Junior), Clarke and Pearce’s sentences
The remaining three defendants have each been jailed for four years, of which they will have to serve half before being eligible to apply for release on licence.
Pearce’s sentence will have to be served consecutively to the 18-month sentence he is currently serving.
Gledhill’s sentence
Gledhill has been jailed for life with a minimum of 31 years and 136 days.
Sentencing
The judge has risen to consider the length of sentences he will pass.
The hearing has been adjourned to 11.30am.
Browne (Junior) boxed for Team GB but the future of his career is unclear, barrister says
Browne (Junior)‘s barrister Mr Bell said he became a professional boxer in 2017, has not lost a fight in that time and he has boxed for Team GB.
He said he is in a stable relationship and boxing professionally was his route out of his criminal past.
Mr Bell said Browne (Junior) has recovered fully from the axe and machete attack, but will not be able to train and compete at the level he was when he is in prison.
Hel said: “It simply remains to be seen whether he will ever have a career at the level he has now.”
Mitigation
Grey’s mitigation was heard yesterday and the remaining defendants’ barristers are now mitigating on behalf of their clients.
Victim's mum: "I beg that this cycle of violence stops"
Ms Houston said she would tell Christopher to be careful and stay away from trouble but he would say: ‘Don’t worry mum.’
She said she misses ‘the simple things’ like him walking in and saying: ‘I love you’.
She said many of those responsible for her son’s murder are parents themselves before asking how they can do this to their own children and families too, adding:
“I beg that this cycle of violence stops, regardless of who a person is or what they’ve done in the past.
“I don’t want another mother to be in my shoes where they bury their child I don’t want any mother to see their son spend the best years of their lives in prison.”
Finding her son shot was ‘literally the worst moment of her life’
Ms Houston said: “Once Christopher passed away at the hospital I insisted on helping the nurses . . .I wrapped his body. I put two identification cards on him . . .”
“There is a special bond between a mother and her son.”
She questioned why the gang members turned to violence: “Because of a fight or because young men needed to show off or have status?”
She said her granddaughter was aged two when he died, adding: “Because of that [his daughter] will grow up without her dad and Christopher will never see her become a woman.”
“I just wish I could have went out on that doorstep instead of him.”
“Christopher was by no means an angel but he had a huge heart.”
Mr Lewis' mum's emotional statement
Mr Enoch said Mr Lewis’ mum Mary Houston and his girlfriend have provided victim personal statements.
Mr Enoch said he would not read out Mr Lewis’ girlfriend’s statement as it is about their daughter growing up without a father in the future and largely reflects his mum’s statement.
His mum’s statement, which largely reflected the interview she did with LeedsLive, said:
No parent should ever have to bury their child.
No parent should lose a child, let alone have a child murdered.
My son Christopher Lewis was senselessly murdered.
Speaking about finding him with gunshot wounds, she said:
The events of this day will be burned into my memory until the day I die.
She questioned how his life could be considered ‘so cheap’ to his murderers.
Tuesday: Sentencing begins
The judge is on the bench and the five defendants are in the dock.
Six members of the jury have returned to court for the hearing.
Browne (Junior) bragged on social media that he would be acquitted
Click here to read about how Browne (Junior) bragged on Facebook and Instagram before and during the trial that he would be acquitted.
Summary of Gledhill's verdict
Click here to read our summary of the latest conviction in the case.
Not the first time cousins Grey and Pearce will be sentenced together
On November 15 last year, Grey and Pearce appeared in Leeds Crown Court via video link from Armley prison to be sentenced for drug offences.
Pearce had pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, namely cannabis, and possession of criminal property, namely cash.
He was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
Grey, who was already serving a seven-year sentence for possession of an imitation firearm whilst committing a robbery, had pleaded guilty to possession of a Class C drug, namely diazepam.
He was sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, concurrent to his seven-year sentence which was imposed in 2014.
On April 24 this year, Pearce again appeared in court via video link from Armley prison for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
The court heard that the amount Pearce had available was £37,628.67.
A judge ordered him to pay the money back within three months or face a further eight months’ imprisonment.
On June 4, Judge Simon Phillips QC approved an application for his available amount to be amended to £20,632.81.
Browne (Junior) and Clarke remanded
Browne (Junior) and Clarke were both been remanded in custody immediately after being convicted on Friday.
Tears in the public gallery
Mr Lewis’ mum Mary Houston cried in the public gallery as the verdicts were returned on both days.
Read her harrowing first-hand account of the night her son was murdered here.
Gledhill also found guilty
The jury have found Gledhill guilty by a majority of 10-1.
A jury of seven women and five men deliberated for a total of 21 hours and 52 minutes.
Final verdict due
The jury has still not reached a unanimous verdict in relation to Gledhill.
The judge has given the jury a majority direction so jurors can now return a verdict on which fewer than 11 of them agree.
The jury have been sent back out of the courtroom to continue their deliberations.
Gledhill
The jury has not yet reached a verdict in relation to Gledhill, who is charged with murder.
A juror has been discharged as she is unavailable to continue, but deliberations will continue on Monday morning with 11 jurors.