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32 years for gunman who killed innocent student shopping at Costcutter
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent29 Sep 2009
Teenage gangster who shot dead a student as he shopped for a pint of milk was jailed for at least 32 years today.
Ashley Bucknor, 20, had been released early from a prison term for stabbing when he blasted 18-year-old Ryan Bravo in a drive-by shooting.
His five-strong gang had been aiming for two rivals who had fled into the Costcutter supermarket in Walworth.
The victim's brothers and cousin were left to try to save the teenager, but he died from his wounds.
Bucknor, 19 at the time of the killing in August last year, was convicted of murder at Woolwich crown court and jailed for life, with a minimum of 32 years.
As the sentence was passed, the killer smirked and strutted down to the cells.
Bucknor had been released early from jail after stabbing a 40-year-old man who tried to confront a group of youths. He had been sentenced to six years but the term was reduced to four-and-a-half by the Court of Appeal.
Jailing him today, Judge Charles Byers said: “Ryan Bravo was by all accounts a nice, intelligent young man who had nothing to do with crime or gangs. He had a lot to offer, he had his whole life before him. But you were part of a gang of young men that night who took his life, and the grief left in your wake is inestimable.
The judge stressed that the supermarket was full of shoppers and “the number of shots fired could have meant more victims”.
He added: “I am quite satisfied you knew exactly what you were doing. You have shown no remorse. You have protected others who could have been brought to justice. I don't accept for a moment that your involvement with gangs is finished.
“You are a dangerous young man who will stop at nothing to pursue your own selfish purposes.”
Earlier, prosecutor Nicholas Atkinson QC, said Bucknor was part of the Organised Criminals, based in Myatt's Fields, Brixton, which was in a feud with a rival gang, the Peckham Young Guns.
He said the shooting was a reprisal for an attack by the Peckham gang, adding: “The OC gang had to respond to maintain their credibility. This gang revenge attack brought about Ryan's death.
“On that evening, Ryan Bravo was with his brothers Alex and Perry and his cousin Daniel. Daniel wanted to buy some milk. He intended to go to the local garage, but changed his mind and, in order to save 20p, he decided to go to Costcutter on Camberwell Road.”
The teenager was shot in the back. He died of internal bleeding and the collapse of his right lung. Police spotted five youths running away but none of the other gunmen has been arrested.
Mr Bravo had just completed his A-levels and was set to go to university at the time of his death.
Bucknor, of no fixed address, denied murder and possession of a firearm.
Outside court, Detective Inspector Tim Carter, of Operation Trident, said: “Bucknor was part of a group who targeted two young men as part of retaliation for an incident earlier in the day.
“It was a warm evening in one of the busiest streets. They paid no regard to any innocent members of the public.
“Ryan was from a close-knit family that had been enjoying an evening together. He was no gang member.”
Reader views (10)
This boy got a tariff of 32 years, even though he wasn't the one who fired the fatal shot(which is a good sentence), yet we have little knife hooligans who are proven to have delivered the fatal stab wound only receiving a tariff of 12 years? How does that happen?
- Justin, London, 01/10/2009 13:46
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Bang him up for good, he had already committed one crime for which he obviously had no remorse for - then gets out of prison and murdered an innocent person. It's beyond me.....
- Bj, sydney Australia, 30/09/2009 09:20
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"at least 32 years"
Hmm, lets see, 32 years - time for good behaviour - time on remand - Nu Labours 'uman rights = 6 years?
- Bob, Cheam, 30/09/2009 09:13
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Should have been convicted of attempted murder for that stabbing. This is what happens when idiots are left in charge of this country.
- Justin, London, 29/09/2009 23:20
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He deserved to get life. He's a victim too, but still has his life. His family can still see him. He deserve all that he gets.
- Sheree, London, 29/09/2009 18:01
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The only answer to this type of murderer is to hang them. This is what the majority of the public want, why should we pay for this scum to be jailed at our expense only to be let out early to repeat his criminal behaviour.
- Phil Taylor, Sevenoaks, 29/09/2009 17:17
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>>Bucknor had been released early from jail after stabbing a 40-year-old man who tried to confront a group of youths. He had been sentenced to six years but the term was reduced to four-and-a-half by the Court of Appeal
Says it all really. New Labour: Tough on crime. Not!
- Peter, Harrow, UK, 29/09/2009 16:39
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He's a victim in all of this too.
- Peace Maker, Battersea, 29/09/2009 16:29
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If only a 32yr sentence actually meant that. It still isn't enough. Capital punishment is the only fair sentence when somebody has made this sort of cold, inhumane decision to take a life.
- Mark, London, 29/09/2009 15:35
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Guns and/or Knives + Lack of education + Gang culture + drugs and/or alcohol + Bad parenting/lack of parenting = MURDER.
- Ancient Wisdom, London, England, 29/09/2009 14:05
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