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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Race-hate man guilty of shootings | Race-hate man guilty of shootings |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A gunman who had threatened to "kill all black people" has been found guilty of three counts of attempted murder. | A gunman who had threatened to "kill all black people" has been found guilty of three counts of attempted murder. |
| Former boxer John Laidlaw, 24, went on a shooting spree in Islington, north London, last May, the Old Bailey heard. | Former boxer John Laidlaw, 24, went on a shooting spree in Islington, north London, last May, the Old Bailey heard. |
| It is not clear whether the attacks were related to his threats against black people. | It is not clear whether the attacks were related to his threats against black people. |
| He shot Abu Kamara in Upper Street before accidentally shooting Emma Sheridan at Finsbury Park Tube station, as he aimed at a second man. | He shot Abu Kamara in Upper Street before accidentally shooting Emma Sheridan at Finsbury Park Tube station, as he aimed at a second man. |
| Laidlaw, from Holloway, north London, was also found guilty of two firearms charges. | Laidlaw, from Holloway, north London, was also found guilty of two firearms charges. |
| Judge Samuel Wiggs warned him that he faced an indeterminate jail sentence for the public's protection. | Judge Samuel Wiggs warned him that he faced an indeterminate jail sentence for the public's protection. |
| "These offences, certainly the first incident, seem to be almost completely random," he said. | "These offences, certainly the first incident, seem to be almost completely random," he said. |
| Detective Sergeant Nick Bonomini, of Scotland Yard's Serious Crime Directorate, said: "He has previously demonstrated a high level of aggression towards black people that appears, given his words, to be based on their race. | Detective Sergeant Nick Bonomini, of Scotland Yard's Serious Crime Directorate, said: "He has previously demonstrated a high level of aggression towards black people that appears, given his words, to be based on their race. |
| "But there was no evidence in these current two shootings that suggest that this formed the same sort of motivation for him and on that we have an open mind." | "But there was no evidence in these current two shootings that suggest that this formed the same sort of motivation for him and on that we have an open mind." |
| Social worker Mr Kamara, 44, had been with a group of work friends going for a drink after a game of badminton. | Social worker Mr Kamara, 44, had been with a group of work friends going for a drink after a game of badminton. |
| Any operation to remove the bullet could leave Mr Kamara paralysed | |
| When a sports bag belonging to one of his colleagues brushed against a friend of Laidlaw's, the gunman reacted by pulling out a gun and shooting Mr Kamara. | When a sports bag belonging to one of his colleagues brushed against a friend of Laidlaw's, the gunman reacted by pulling out a gun and shooting Mr Kamara. |
| The bullet was deflected off Mr Kamara's chin and entered his neck through his Adam's apple. | The bullet was deflected off Mr Kamara's chin and entered his neck through his Adam's apple. |
| It went through his voicebox before finally lodging near his spinal column. | It went through his voicebox before finally lodging near his spinal column. |
| Half an hour after shooting Mr Kamara, Laidlaw shot at a man called Evans Baptiste. | Half an hour after shooting Mr Kamara, Laidlaw shot at a man called Evans Baptiste. |
| Mr Baptiste and a friend had been chasing Laidlaw after recognising him as the man who had attacked Mr Baptiste with a hammer earlier in the year. | Mr Baptiste and a friend had been chasing Laidlaw after recognising him as the man who had attacked Mr Baptiste with a hammer earlier in the year. |
| Mistaken identity | Mistaken identity |
| But the bullet brushed past Mr Baptiste and struck 26-year-old Emma Sheridan in the back. | |
| A passing medical student plucked the bullet from her back before ambulance crews took her to hospital for treatment. | A passing medical student plucked the bullet from her back before ambulance crews took her to hospital for treatment. |
| When police caught up with Laidlaw at the home of a family friend in Kingston, south-west London, he dived through a glass door and ran into a shed to hide. | When police caught up with Laidlaw at the home of a family friend in Kingston, south-west London, he dived through a glass door and ran into a shed to hide. |
| CCTV pictures showed the scene of the second shooting | CCTV pictures showed the scene of the second shooting |
| In court, he claimed he was watching television all day during the shootings and was the victim of mistaken identity. | In court, he claimed he was watching television all day during the shootings and was the victim of mistaken identity. |
| Three weeks before the shooting spree, Laidlaw admitted in court attacking a black motorist. | |
| When he was arrested he behaved violently and was "foaming at the mouth" according to a police document. | When he was arrested he behaved violently and was "foaming at the mouth" according to a police document. |
| "In the presence and hearing of the black female jailer the defendant made racist comments and remarks, stating he was a member of the BNP and that he hated all black people," the document says. | "In the presence and hearing of the black female jailer the defendant made racist comments and remarks, stating he was a member of the BNP and that he hated all black people," the document says. |
| He also stated that he was going to kill all black people, said the report. | He also stated that he was going to kill all black people, said the report. |