Four men have been jailed for their involvement in a shooting incident at a busy restaurant in Ealing.
Detectives used various forms of surveillance, including CCTV footage, phone data, and vehicle GPS, to meticulously track the movements of the individuals involved. The convicted individuals are Lee Morgan, aged 42, Nicholas Grant, aged 46, and Elton Charles, aged 50.
They were found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence during a five-week trial held at Kingston Crown Court in July and August 2023.
At a hearing on Friday, 15 September, each of the three men were sentenced to five years in jail.
Nathanial St Aimie, 49, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence on the second day of the trial and was sentenced on 15 September to six years and three months’ imprisonment.
On September 6, 2022, a gunshot was fired into a crowded restaurant on Greenford Road in Ealing at around 9:30pm, thankfully without causing injuries.
Specialist Crime officers launched an investigation, identifying Nicolas Grant as the shooter from CCTV footage. They traced a van linked to the incident to St Aimie, who had conducted reconnaissance and coordinated the involvement of co-defendants using burner phones and WhatsApp messages. The motive behind the shooting was financial gain.
Detective Constable Meechok Maingarm, who led the investigation, said: “This was a shocking attack and it was only by good fortune that no-one inside the premises suffered any injury. It left many of those present extremely shaken up and caused real fear to the restaurant’s owners.
“Our team worked exceptionally hard to identify those responsible, and the evidence collected was enough to prove that all four men were in touch prior to the incident and played their part in this deliberate and pre-planned shooting.”
