IT WAS A savage attack on an 18 year old cyclist in Whalebone Lane South, Dagenham, which left him with life-changing injuries, that sawsubstantial prison sentences being handed out at the Old Bailey earlier this month.
The attack occurred nearly a year ago – on 2nd May 2024. The teen victim was cycling along when three men jumped out of a vehicle and chased after him. The cyclist sped up – but then he rode into a member of the public and fell off his bike. The three caught up with him, and their callous attack was caught on CCTV. One man shot him, with a sawn-off shotgun, at point-blank range; one stabbed him with a machete; and the third one stood and watched.
Police and the paramedics treated the victim at the scene, before taking him to hospital. He has since spent long periods in hospital, undergoing serveral operations.
The guilty men are: ●Caleb Wallace, 18, of Beam Avenue, Barking & Dagenham, convicted earlier this year of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of a knife ●Hayat Umar, 18, of Stern Close, Barking & Dagenham, convicted earlier this year of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of a knife ●Joshua Amoaka, 18, of Cornflowe Road, Chelmsford, convited earlier this year of causing grievous bodiy harm, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of a knife. At the April hearing, Wallace and Umar were sentenced to 19 years in prison, and Amoako was sentenced to nine years in prison.
Detective Inspector Iain Wallace from the Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, described the brutality of Wallace and Umar as “shocking”. “This has been an incredibly distressing time for the victim and his family,” he said. “Equally, many of those who witnessed such a vicious attack will still be deeply traumatised and concerned about safety in the community.”
Police responded to the attack by launching a determined manhut, concentrating on interviewing witnesses and studying CCTV. Just over a week later they arrested Wallace and Umar at an address in Kent, finding distinctive trainers that linked them to the CCTV footage. Forensic testing of hats found at the scene found DNA which matched that of the two attackers.
A further week later, Amoako was arrested at an address in Birmingham, where police also found class A drugs and a hunting knife. Police also found videos on Tik Tok which linked the attackers with a gang which claimed responsibility for the attack and mocked the victim.
Their sentences were reduced by between a third and a half because they were aged under 18 when they committed the offence. Many will believe that this sentencing policy must be reconsidered: the attackers were under 18, but their attack was just as serious as one carried out by an adult – and it could easily have been fatal.
●Read more about it: Five charged in Hackney murder case Dagenham man ran gun factory in garden