Jurors view dramatic moment armed police arrest neo-Nazi teenager in gun sting
It was the culmination of a 'highly sophisticated operation' in which Coleman was allegedly snared by an undercover officer from MI5.
Former Tesco worker Coleman had allegedly made an arrangement with the undercover officer for the supply of a Makarov pistol, five magazines and 200 rounds of ammunition.
Coleman, then aged 19, was allegedly told they would be in a Land Rover Discovery parked in the Morrisons car park in Stratford, east London, on the morning of September 29 2023.
Jurors have been shown video footage of the defendant, dressed in a black tracksuit with the hood up as he went to collect the weaponry.
In the video, he is seen leaving cash in the front passenger seat footwell and collecting a holdall from the boot.
But before he has walked 30 yards, he is confronted by counter-terrorism police officers pointing stun guns.
In front of shocked shoppers, Coleman drops to his knees and lies flat on the ground before being handcuffed.
Coleman has accepted having a significant quantity of extreme right-wing material and pleaded guilty to possessing 10 documents which contain information likely to be useful to terrorists.
The defendant, now aged 21, of Great Notley in Essex, has also pleaded guilty to attempting to possess both a firearm and ammunition but has denied he was preparing for a terrorist attack.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
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The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Mother of murdered schoolboy fears she may ‘never recover' from son's loss
The mother of a teenager who was stabbed to death on a bus emotionally told a court she may 'never recover' from the loss of her son. Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa called, 'I want my mum' after he was mortally wounded in front of horrified passengers aboard a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on 7 January. He was stabbed around 27 times in the attack that lasted around 14 seconds. Two youths, aged 16, appeared at the Old Bailey to be sentenced on Friday after they pleaded guilty to Kelyan's murder and having a knife. In a moving victim impact statement, Kelyan's mother Marie Bokassa said: 'I stand here not just as a mother but as a broken soul whose life changed forever the day my child's life was taken from me by another child.' Speaking through tears and wearing black, she added: 'At least my son is at peace, and those two kids are going to have a really tough time. 'I ask myself what has happened to those two boys that has resulted in that terrible act of violence and I cannot imagine how can they be so angry. 'What they did was horrific and I do not know what has led them to do this and maybe I will never.' 'That moment of violence may have lasted seconds but its consequences are eternal,' Ms Bokassa said. She told the court her son had loved food, cooking and football and brought her flowers on her birthday. 'He would put music on and we'd dance together in the living room,' she said. 'He loved Mr Bean, which we watched together, and he would laugh. I miss his laugh, miss his voice. 'I will never see his children or be a grandmother and he will never have his own family.' Ms Bokassa added that she had spent her son's 15th birthday at his graveside and that she missed everything about him. She said that some people in her neighbourhood cannot look at her and she is petrified to take public transport, particularly the 472 bus. 'I feel judged,' Ms Bokassa added. 'Maybe I will never recover, all I know is I will live and I will have to be strong for my son and I will have to constantly find a coping mechanism,' she continued. 'He would want me to try and solve youth crime and not give up on my life. 'My son loved me and would want me to go on with my life. 'These two young boys took my son's life without hesitation, they will now have to face the consequences of their actions here today. 'My only hope is they get the help they need before they ever get released into society.' In a statement, Kelyan's father, Hashim Mohamed, said his son's death had prompted him and his wife to consider 'youth violence' and to 'think politically' about knife crime. 'I never expected Kelyan's life to end tragically, to the contrary I believed he would one day thrive as an elite athlete or even as a creative,' he wrote in a statement read out on his behalf by prosecutor Deanna Heer KC. The hearing was attended by around 20 members of the public, who filled the public gallery, all of whom wore black while some hid their faces and sobbed loudly as CCTV footage of the attack was shown to the court. Kelyan's mother left the hearing briefly while the video of her son's murder was played.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Machete-wielding youths who smiled as they fatally stabbed schoolboy jailed for life
Two machete-wielding youths who smiled as they fatally stabbed a 14-year-old schoolboy on a bus have been jailed for life. Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa called, 'I want my mum' after he was mortally wounded in front of horrified passengers aboard the a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on January 7. His killers, aged 16, pleaded guilty to Kelyan's murder and having a knife. In a televised sentencing on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC detained them at His Majesty's pleasure for life. He told the pair they would be locked up for a least 15 years and 10 months before being eligible for parole. Judge Lucraft said Kenyan's death was a 'senseless loss' of yet another young life to the 'horrors of knife crime'. One of the youths in the dock of the Old Bailey smiled as he was sent down. Earlier, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said Kelyan had boarded the 472 bus just after 2pm to attend an appointment at the Youth Justice Centre in Woolwich. CCTV footage showed Kelyan went to sit on the back seat on the top deck, with a knife in the waistband of his trousers. Ms Heer said the teenager looked around and out of the windows before taking his seat 'giving every impression that he was concerned for his safety'. The defendants, who cannot be named, boarded the bus 20 minutes later each armed with identical machetes hidden in their clothes. The pair walked towards Kelyan 'with purpose' and withdrew their blades before immediately stabbing him without uttering a word to their victim. Ms Heer said: 'Since Kelyan Bokassa was seated on the back seat, he was cornered, unable to escape as the defendants repeatedly thrust their knives towards him, smiling as they did so.' The attack lasted around 14 seconds, with the youths thrusting the machetes towards Kelyan 27 times. Ms Heer went on: 'Kelyan Bokassa had no time to reach for his own knife, which remained in his trousers, and instead tried in vain to protect himself with his school bag. 'There were several other passengers on the top deck who fled in panic when they realised what was happening. They describe hearing intense screaming from the back of the bus and the victim shouting, 'Help. Help. I've been stabbed'. 'They describe both defendants making quick, forceful movements towards Kelyan Bokassa as he tried to defend himself.' The bus driver activated his emergency alarm just before 2.27pm and the defendants fled when the vehicle stopped at Woolwich Ferry. Kelyan stumbled down the aisle to the stairs, where another passenger went to help him. The boy was heard to say: 'Take me to my mum's. I want my mum,' before his legs buckled, bleeding heavily from a wound to the leg. Members of the public flagged down a passing police car and officers found Kelyan had collapsed and his body was limp. Despite attempts to save him, Kelyan died at the scene at 3.23pm. One of the machetes was thrown into the River Thames, but was later recovered by police. The defendants were quickly identified from CCTV on the bus and arrested. In a victim impact statement, Kelyan's mother Marie Bokassa said: 'At least my son is at peace, and those two kids are going to have a really tough time. 'I ask myself what has happened to those two boys that has resulted in that terrible act of violence, and I cannot imagine how can they be so angry. 'What they did was horrific and I do not know what has led them to do this, and maybe I will never.' She told the court her son had loved food, cooking and football, and brought her flowers on her birthday. Speaking through tears and wearing black, she said: 'He would put music on and we'd dance together in the living room. 'He loved Mr Bean, which we watched together, and he would laugh. I miss his laugh, miss his voice. 'I will never see his children or be a grandmother and he will never have his own family.' Ms Bokassa added that she had spent her son's 15th birthday at his graveside. During the sentencing hearing, members of the public sobbed loudly and hid their faces as footage of the attack on Kelyan was shown in court. The court heard both defendants have previous convictions for carrying blades in public. Samantha Yelland, senior crown prosecutor for CPS London North, said: 'This was a savage and sustained attack on a 14-year-old boy which was carried out in broad daylight on a busy bus. 'Kelyan was headed to an appointment that day and passengers on the bus witnessed his violent murder in truly harrowing circumstances. Despite the attack lasting only 15 seconds, he had little chance of survival. 'We worked closely with police and were thankfully helped by clear CCTV evidence which both placed the defendants on the bus and showed one of them discarding the machete. They had little choice but to plead guilty. 'I hope their sentences provide some degree of comfort to Kelyan's friends and family.'
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Mother of machete attack victim says ‘streets are bleeding' after killers jailed
The mother of a 14-year-old boy killed in a machete attack on a bus declared 'our streets are bleeding' as his smiling killers were locked up for life. Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa said 'I want my mum' after he was mortally wounded in front of horrified passengers aboard the 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on January 7. Two youths, aged 16, pleaded guilty to Kelyan's murder and having a knife. In a televised sentencing on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC detained them for life and set minimum terms of 15 years and 10 months. Judge Lucraft said Kenyan's death was a 'senseless loss' of yet another young life to the 'horrors of knife crime'. One of the youths in the dock of the Old Bailey smiled as he was sent down. Outside court, Kelyan's mother Marie Bokassa issued a call for action to end the bloodshed. In a statement read on her behalf, she said: 'To the Government and authorities. How many mothers like me, will it take? How many children must we bury before you act with urgency? 'Where are you? Where were you? I had no support from you when my son was alive and no support now that he is dead. A letter of condolence doesn't mean anything to us. 'Our streets are bleeding. Our cemeteries are full. Our prisons are overflowing. Pain and loss is becoming normalised. 'Our streets are no longer safe for our children. Public transport is no longer safe. Schools are no longer safe. You have lost control of London.' She added: 'To the young people who carry knives, I beg you to stop before you raise up blades. Think of your own mother. Think of the mothers who will cry every night, like I do, will scream into her pillow, who will walk past her child's empty room and collapse with grief. 'Don't let a moment of anger steal your future. Don't let the streets raise you in a way your mother never would. There is no power in death, there is only loss.' Earlier, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said Kelyan had boarded the 472 bus just after 2pm to attend an appointment at the Youth Justice Centre in Woolwich. CCTV showed Kelyan on the back seat of the top deck, with a knife in the waistband of his trousers. Ms Heer said the teenager looked around and out of the windows before taking his seat 'giving every impression that he was concerned for his safety'. The defendants, who cannot be named, boarded the bus 20 minutes later each armed with identical machetes hidden in their clothes. The pair walked towards Kelyan 'with purpose' and withdrew their blades before immediately stabbing him without uttering a word to their victim. Ms Heer said: 'Since Kelyan Bokassa was seated on the back seat, he was cornered, unable to escape as the defendants repeatedly thrust their knives towards him, smiling as they did so.' The attack lasted around 14 seconds, with the youths thrusting the machetes towards Kelyan 27 times. Ms Heer went on: 'Kelyan Bokassa had no time to reach for his own knife, which remained in his trousers, and instead tried in vain to protect himself with his school bag. 'There were several other passengers on the top deck who fled in panic when they realised what was happening. They describe hearing intense screaming from the back of the bus and the victim shouting, 'Help. Help. I've been stabbed'. 'They describe both defendants making quick, forceful movements towards Kelyan Bokassa as he tried to defend himself.' The bus driver activated his emergency alarm just before 2.27pm and the defendants fled when the vehicle stopped at Woolwich Ferry. Kelyan stumbled down the aisle to the stairs, where another passenger went to help him. The boy was heard to say: 'Take me to my mum's. I want my mum,' before his legs buckled, bleeding heavily from a wound to the leg. Members of the public flagged down a passing police car and officers found Kelyan had collapsed and his body was limp. Despite attempts to save him, Kelyan died at the scene at 3.23pm. One of the machetes was thrown into the River Thames, but was later recovered by police. The defendants were quickly identified from CCTV on the bus and arrested. In a victim impact statement read in court, Ms Bokassa said: 'At least my son is at peace, and those two kids are going to have a really tough time. 'I ask myself what has happened to those two boys that has resulted in that terrible act of violence, and I cannot imagine how can they be so angry. 'What they did was horrific and I do not know what has led them to do this, and maybe I will never.' The court heard both defendants have previous convictions for carrying blades in public. Samantha Yelland, senior crown prosecutor for CPS London North, said: 'This was a savage and sustained attack on a 14-year-old boy which was carried out in broad daylight on a busy bus. 'We worked closely with police and were thankfully helped by clear CCTV evidence which both placed the defendants on the bus and showed one of them discarding the machete. They had little choice but to plead guilty.' Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, from Scotland Yard, said it had been a 'deeply troubling' case. She said: 'The harsh reality in London is that violence disproportionately affects young black men and boys. 'The fact we're seeing so many teenagers like Kelyan die should be at the forefront of the minds of every politician, every policy maker and everyone who wants better for children growing up in London. 'Without this collective effort, we won't be able to tackle knife crime in its entirety. 'And while I am pleased that Keylan's mother, Marie, has been spared the emotional turmoil of a trial, I know that she still desperately seeks to understand why three young lives could be considered so disposable.
