Four jailed in Bow murder probe

FOUR MEN FROM East London – three from Tower Hamlets and one from Dagenham – were found guilty on Friday, 13th July of various charges arising out of the murder of Brenton Roper, 41, in Bow last year. They returned to court later in the month for sentencing.

•Mohammed Shaid, 27, of Arrow Road, E3 was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

•Monzur Ahmed, 27, of Whitethorn Street, E3 was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to nine years in jail.

•Foyzur Rahman, 28, of Beveridge Mews, E1 was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in jail.

•Shah Mohammed Habibur Rahman, 28, of Longbridge Road, Dagenham was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to twelve years in jail.

Mr Roper died on 13th May last year. The London Ambulance Service was called out to Eagling Close, E3 at 4.30pm – and called out the police and air ambulance. They found Mr Roper suffering from gunshot and stab wounds.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene, just over an hour later. A post mortem later gave the cause of death as gunshot injuries.

Police believe that earlier that afternoon, Mr Roper had had an argument with a group of men who were sat in an Audi. CCTV footage then showed Shaid and Rahman in the area before the murder – and leaving the area shortly afterwards. They were later filmed in Newham – with an Audi, thought to be the one the people Mr Roper was arguing with had been in.

Shaid, Ahmed and Foyzur Rahman were arrested on 24th June last year an charged three days later. Shah Rahman was found and arrested on 6th September and charged the following day. The four were put on trial – but the trial had to be abandoned after Shaid admitted supplying two false defence case statements. The four were then convicted at a second trial.

At the sentencing hearing, Mr Roper’s fiancée Mandy Bourne told the Court, “My life feels so very empty without him, I go through the day-to-day motions for the sake of my children, but I really feel like I no longer have a future without him. I am numb. There is a deep, dark hole in my heart.”

Detective Inspector Dan Setter, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said, “This was a brazen attack in a residential street in broad daylight, which involved shooting a man in the back, stabbing him and chasing him down the street. The defendants sought to portray this as self-defence and an accidental shooting, which the jury have clearly seen through.

“Mr Roper’s death stemmed from a dispute over the suspects’ involvement in drug dealing: an activity, which was taking place in the street where Mr Roper lived, which he deplored. After the attack, the suspects then made several co-ordinated efforts to evade police, including fleeing the country. Detectives used all the tools at their disposal to arrest and bring all four to justice.

“It takes courage to give evidence against local drug dealers. I would particularly like to thank all the witnesses who were willing to give evidence as it is difficult for us to do our job without them.”

•Read more about this story:
Bow murder: three in court this week

•Read more crime stories:
Tower Hamlets three were handling stolen phones
Isle of Dogs dealers sentenced