M16 assault rifle seized by Trident Gang Crime Command. Pic: Met Police

The head of the Met Police’s Trident  Gang Crime Command, Detective Superintendent John Crossley, has pledged zero tolerance for any level of criminality by gang culture after three men and one woman from Lewisham were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday 23 April for possession of firearms and controlled drugs offences.

The defendants were arrested in October 2012 as a direct result of an intelligence based operation headed by the Trident Gang Crime Command. They were found to be in possession of an M16 assault rifle and semi-automatic pistols. One of the pistols had previously been used in two non-fatal gang shootings.

Police also recovered a large quantity of heroin, cocaine and cannabis thought to have a street value of up to £40,000.

Colin Skyers, 20, of Foxborough Gardens, Brockley, SE4, Isha Tejan-Rahman, 20, of Lordship Lane, SE22, and Charlie Rooney, 21 of Monteagle Way, SE15 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs charges. Keenon Jones, 19 of Laleham Road, Catford, SE6 was found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

They have been remanded in custody for sentencing on 10 June.

Tejan-Rahman, Skyers, Rooney, and Jones convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms and Class A drugs. Images: Met Police

Detective Superintendent John Crossley of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Trident Gang Crime Command told East London Lines his detectives will continue to target gangs involved in any kind of criminal activity and impose a level of zero-tolerance that will even include not having a television licence.

Trident recently celebrated its first birthday in February, since being relaunched in 2012 to tackle gang and gun crime in London. In the last year it has made more than 4,000 arrests and recovered 91 firearms plus large quantities of ammunition. Statistics show that in the last year serious youth violence has decreased by 28 per cent and the number of shootings has decreased by 18 per cent.

Detective Superintendent Crossley said ‘Trident will continue to tackle gang crime at all levels, ranging from those involved in high end criminal activity such as the drugs and firearms, to gangs involved in small end activities. It will be achieved through enforcement, prevention and suppression whilst utilising specialist techniques through intelligence based operations.”

He added: “This will be coupled with engagement in the community through a number of organisations such as the Damilola Taylor Trust, the Safer London Foundation and the St. Giles Trust offering gang members a way out.”

Following the convictions at Woolwich Crown Court senior officers were anxious to commend “DC Martin Reader’s contribution, the officer in the case, who has done an exceptional job dealing with this case from beginning to end.”