Life for gangland gunman

A gunman who shot a rival gang member yards from his mother’s home has been jailed for life.

Reece Burton, 29, blasted 28-year-old Aaron Charles with a self-loading revolver in Birch Grove, Leyton, east London, on 17 June.

The bullet went through the back of Mr Charles’ neck, but he miraculously survived as it missed both of his airways.

Burton was lurking outside Mr Charles’ mother’s house with an accomplice on bikes shortly before midday.

PC Aaron Barnes-Weston photographed the pair while undercover before they ambushed Mr Charles as he left his home address and walked down the road on the way to see his GP.

Mr Charles staggered back to his mum’s bleeding heavily while his attacker fled.

Burton was stopped in a White Audi and charged with attempted murder and possession of a gun on the same day after officers tracked him down.

Judge Sarah Munro, QC, jailed him for life with a minimum of 12 years.

She told him: ‘At some point in time prior to the morning of Monday 17 June 2019, you armed yourself with a gun, probably a self-loading revolver, and decided to hang around outside the address of your victim Aaron Charles in Birch Road with a view to shooting him dead.

‘When he appeared at around 11.30 that morning you were ready for him. You drew your gun and you fired at least twice.

‘One of those shots hit Mr Charles in the neck. He staggered towards his home believing that he was dying.

‘You planned and targeted Mr Charles intending to shoot him dead with a revolver which has not been recovered.

‘You aimed at his neck and it is pure luck that he was not injured more severely.

‘Neither you nor he ascribe any motive for the attack, and you remain in denial. Both of you are linked to gangs.

‘You fled the scene on a bicycle.’

Dan Pawson-Pounds, prosecuting, said: ‘This is a case about an incident involving three men during which one man, Aaron Charles, was shot by the first defendant, Mr Burton.

‘It happened on Birch Road in broad daylight at 11.30am on Monday 17 June.

‘There were a number of witnesses.

‘Unfortunately for the defendants one of them was a police officer who knew them and was able to identify the gunman.

‘Other witnesses did see Mr Charles was attacked by two men.

‘He was shot through the neck

‘Fortunately it missed both vital airways.

‘In short he was extremely lucky not to have died and as you’ve just heard these defendants face charges of attempted murder.

‘PC Aaron Barnes-Weston saw the two men. They were unaware of his presence but he took a number of photographs.

‘Of crucial importance was what happened when he saw Aaron Charles leave his mother’s home address, walking towards the surgery on Birch Grove.

‘As he reached the end of Birch Grove he saw Burton appear from his bike from behind the last house on the road.

‘He watched Mr Burton approach, raise his right hand and then shoot Mr Charles before cycling off at speed to Leyton High Road.

‘He called back up to [the mother’s address] where Mr Charles had managed to stagger back to.

‘Following the shooting Mr Charles was taken to Royal London Hospital.

‘He had a gunshot wound at the back of his neck with exit wound on the right side.

‘Remarkably you may think he was discharged only two days later as there was no damage to any organs.

Burton, of Greg Close, Leyton, denied attempted murder and possession of a firearm but was convicted of the charges by a jury.

He was convicted of attempted murder and possession of the firearm and jailed for a minimum of 12 years.