Seven males have been convicted for their roles in a “territorial dispute” between “weapon-wielding gangs” in St John Street in October.
Michael Dyra, 24, of Hoxton, was sentenced to 28 months for violent disorder at Blackfriars Crown Court on September 6, and he'll serve a concurrent 10 months stretch for carrying an offensive weapon.
David Liwala, 21, of Tower Hamlets, got 22 months imprisonment suspended for 20 months, 300 hours unpaid work, plus a six-month electronically monitored curfew from 8pm to 6am, at the same court that day.
Christopher Mora, 21, of Islington, who the prosecution said was involved with a rival gang to Dyra and Liwala, was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months for violent disorder and 16 months concurrent for carrying a knife at Blackfriars on Monday last week.
Tony Mosquera, 22, was sentenced to 20 months for violent disorder and a further 10 months for a breach of a criminal behaviour order to be served consecutively.
Another defendant, who cannot be named due to their age was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in a young offenders institute suspended for 20 months, 20 hours senior attendance centre, and a six-month 8pm to 6am tagged curfew.
Tyrone Charles, 19, of Islington, will be sentenced on 27th September 2019 for the same matter.
Lamin Dibba 24 of Islington was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended for 20 months, 300 hours unpaid work and a 6 month 2000 - 0600 electronically tagged curfew.
Det Cons Patrick Gough, from Islington's gangs unit, told the Gazette: "Chris Moran rode into rival gang territory on the back of a moped not bearing a number plate and armed with a knife. What followed was a senseless, brazen, and violent incident in full view of a number of innocent passers-by. At least two people, including Mr Moran, were seriously injured.
"The residents of Islington should feel able to walk their streets without fear and I hope that these convictions go some way to re-assuring them that these acts will be investigated thoroughly and not go unpunished. I am grateful to my colleagues, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the brave members of the public who came forward as witnesses for their assistance in what is one part of a wide ranging response to youth violence in London."
Marcus Joyce, from the CPS, said: "This was a violent incident between two weapon-wielding gangs in a territorial dispute
"The gangs chased each other through St John Street at 10.30pm, with the many witnesses around not deterring them from their actions.
"CCTV and other evidence presented to the jury, such as rap lyrics inferring involvement found on a defendant's phone, overwhelmingly proved the prosecution case."
The morning after the incident on October 16, a worker at the Spa Green estate, told the Gazette: "When the police turned up they taped off St John Street from the junction with Lloyds Row all the way up to Rosebery Avenue.
"A resident came to speak to me - they said they were looking through their window and saw a group of youths.
"They saw a young man with his back to the wall with a knife in his hand.
"He was surrounded by a group of 10 others and at least three of them had knives out."
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