Three men have been jailed for their role in two shootings, both of which happened in Harrow.
One of the shootings left an innocent man with life-changing injuries police have said.
-Amar Bhargava, 29, from Luton, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years and four months’ imprisonment after being found guilty of attempted murder at an earlier hearing.
He was also sentenced to 20 years for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, to be served concurrently, as well as further concurrent sentences for other firearms offences.
-Leon Trow, 27 (18.04.94) of Harrow, was found guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, three counts of possession of a fraudulent firearm certificate and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
He was sentenced to a total of 16 years and six months’ imprisonment.
-Lee Murray.43(18.02.78) of Milton Keynes pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of ammunition and was sentenced to six years in prison.
He was found not guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The court heard that the Bhargava and Trow were involved in an a shooting on Sunday, 3 November 2019 in which three shots were fired into a car parked on Augustine Road, Harrow Weald.
The driver, 39-year-old man, suffered potentially life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital. He continues to receive ongoing medical treatment as a result of the attack.
On Monday, 23 March 2020, the defendants travelled to a residential address on Carylon Avenue, Harrow and poured petrol on a car parked on a driveway. They then discharged a shotgun at the vehicle causing substantial damage, before making off in a black Smart car.
Detectives linked the car to Murray and a warrant was carried out at his home address.
During a search of the property, the shotgun used in the shooting was recovered alongside ammunition.
Another firearm was also seized, with forensic tests identifying it as the weapon used in the attempted murder offence in November.
Further enquiries revealed that both firearms had been bought by using a fraudulent firearms certificate by Bhargava and Trow from locations across England.
All three were charged and later remanded until trial.
- A man was left with life-changing injuries in Augustine Road, Harrow Weald. Credit: Streetview
Detective Constable Steve Renny, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “The sentences handed out today are a reflection of the seriousness of these crimes and we are pleased these three men are now behind bars and unable to cause further harm.
“The victim shot in his car will have to live with the consequences of that night for the rest of his life and it is only by sheer luck he was not fatally injured. He and the owner of the car in the second incident were completely innocent and targeted in a case of mistaken identity.
“Firearms have no place on our streets and we will continue to seek out those who carry and supply them in order to make London a safer place.”
Source: Met Police
