A Lewisham gangster who plotted to sell a terrorist a gun to be used in an attack in Hyde Park was jailed on Monday along with two other men.
Tyler King, 21, of Denmark Hill, Lewisham was sentenced on Monday with Caleb Wenyeve, 21, and Reis Forde, 27 at Inner London Crown Court for their involvement in providing Edward Little, 22, with a firearm.
The trio attempted to sell him a firearm and ammunition that had been modified into a lethal weapon.
Little, the would-be attacker, was apprehended by police en route from Brighton to London with £5,000 to purchase a firearm and ammunition for his nefarious plans.
He pleaded guilty in May to preparing terrorist acts and is set to be sentenced on December 15 at the Old Bailey.
The mass attack was planned for the day of the late Queen’s funeral.
The three admitted being party to the plot even though it was accepted they did not know the gun was for a terror attack, police said.
King, was jailed for 10 years and nine months for conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm and three counts of possession of ammunition without lawful authority. Wenyeve, received 12 years for conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm along with Forde, who was jailed for 13 years and six months.
Little, had expressed his intention to target a Christian preacher at Speaker’s Corner and had discussed his desire to obtain a gun in encrypted chats on the Threema messaging platform. His encrypted messages included statements such as, “I don’t think there has been an attack in the UK with guns, so a semi-automatic rifle would send an even stronger message.”
In May, Little pleaded guilty to preparing terrorist acts and is set to be sentenced on December 15 at the Old Bailey.
Despite the group’s claim that they were unaware of Little’s terrorist intentions, they actively participated in providing him with a fully functioning firearm and live ammunition. The police discovered a video showcasing the working mechanisms of the weapon, further implicating the trio in the conspiracy.
Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, head of Counter Terrorism Policing Southeast (CTPSE), emphasised the success of dismantling the organised crime group swiftly. He highlighted the case as an example of the commitment to disrupting and bringing to justice criminals whose activities pose a threat to national security.
Wright stated, “All cases linked to terrorism will be vigorously pursued and brought before the courts,” underlining the determination of law enforcement agencies to thwart any potential threats to public safety.
