Peckham shootings: Seven London men sentenced to over 100 years in prison

Seven men have been jailed for a combined total of over 102 years following a series of violent shootings in Peckham in May 2023.

The men, who “retaliated to violence with more violence,” were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on Friday, 18 October 2024.

The convicted individuals, Tyreke Smikle, 26, Kai Davis Francis, 25, Duan Correa, 21, Shaquille Marsh, 26, Tyreece Quartey, 25, Malachi David Francis, 21, and Timothy Newton, 18, were involved in a revenge attack after an acquaintance of Smikle and Newton was stabbed in Peckham.

Metropolitan Police detectives launched an investigation as part of their ongoing strategy to combat firearms offences in the capital.

After the Peckham stabbing, Smikle and Newton visited the victim in hospital before collecting weapons, including a loaded shotgun, and met with the rest of the group to execute a plan for retaliation.

According to the Met Police, CCTV footage captured the group, masked in balaclavas, splitting into three vehicles, including a stolen moped, as they pursued their targets.

Smikle fired a shotgun into one vehicle, seriously injuring the driver, before shooting at another car, which eventually crashed and flipped over. As the third victim fled, Smikle chased him into a nearby garden and shot him in the leg at close range. Fortunately, no one sustained life-threatening injuries.

Detective Constable Luke Martinez, who led the investigation, condemned the group’s actions, stating, “This group retaliated to violence with more violence, bringing a firearm and other weapons to the streets of London which could have seriously injured or killed someone. These shootings took place during daylight hours, with one occurring just metres away from a mother and her child.”

When Smikle was arrested, officers seized the shotgun along with Class A drugs, a stab-proof vest, a knife, and burner phones.

Smikle was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 17 years and seven months, for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, two counts of wounding with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

The other defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, with additional drug-related charges for Kai Davis Francis and Timothy Newton.

The sentences are as follows:

• Tyreke Smikle, 26: Life imprisonment (minimum 17 years and seven months)
• Kai Davis Francis, 25: 17 years and six months
• Timothy Newton, 18: Nine years and six months
• Duan Correa, 21: 16 years
• Shaquille Marsh, 26: 14 years and six months
• Tyreece Quartey, 25: 13 years
• Malachi David Francis, 21: 14 years and six months

Smikle was also handed an indefinite Criminal Behaviour Order, while the others received fixed-term orders.