Islington Tribune - News: Life for gunman who shot stranger in street

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Islington Tribune - by DAVID ST GEORGE
Published: 25 May 2007

Life for gunman who shot stranger in street

A JUDGE told a slouching teenage gunman on Friday: “You have become desensitised with murder.”
Senior Old Bailey judge David Paget QC revealed that, since the age of eight, Tony Adetunji had been a gang member in Stoke Newington.
Adetunji confided to a probation officer that he knew one day he would be in the dock facing a jail term for gun crime.
A leading light in the notorious Stamford Hill Man Dem Crew, Adetunji was given a life sentence – he must serve a minimum of 15 years – for shooting a stranger in the street in Finsbury Park.
Judge Paget said the “wholly innocent” victim, motor mechanic Shane Johnson, 25, was wrongly identified as a rival gang member.
Mr Johnson, from Islington, is still crippled by the “out of the blue” attack. He watched as his assailant went to the cells.
Mr Johnson was shot in the stomach as he left a friend’s flat on the Woodberry Down estate in September last year.
Prosecutor Tim Cray said: “He suffered dreadful internal injuries and was lucky to survive. He was caught in the ‘crossfire’ between gangs with a gun culture.”
Mr Johnson told the court: “I was on the pavement and saw some men coming towards me. They had their hoods up and heads down. I remember just remarking “what are you hiding your faces for”, then I was shot.”
Adetunji, 19, of Dalston, was convicted of attempted murder and having a firearm.
The judge said the victim happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He described Adetunji as “a dangerous offender” and a risk to the public.
He had previous convictions for carrying knives, theft, car crime and possessing cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin.
Five days before the shooting he was freed by a court for possessing cannabis.

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