Prison looms for Plaistow motorist after ‘police lies’
Car had been in shooting
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
12:00 PM
A driver is facing jail for convincing a friend to wrongly report her car as stolen after it was involved in a shooting.
Tayo Shodunke, 22, of Sutton Road, Plaistow, persuaded Sophia Cran-Mensah, also 22, of Ilford, to tell police her Toyota Celica had been stolen by a friend the day after the shooting in Blackwater Close, West Ham.
The car was found with its tyres shot out and a loaded pump-action shotgun was in the footwell.
Cran-Mensah told police a fictitious man, called Jay Thomas, had taken it from her when in reality Shodunke had been driving it on May 18, 2010.
He was convicted of perverting the course of justice at Inner London Crown Court after the police probe into the shooting collapsed.
Cran-Mensah was cleared after the jury accepted she had no knowledge of Shodunke’s intentions.
Prosecutor Martin Hooper told the jury that vital forensic tests could not be carried out as police searched for the wrong suspect.
“The link to Mr Shodunke wasn’t made until police examined telephone evidence and saw the contact between the co-defendants.
“However this was too late because Mr Shodunke’s clothing was unable to be examined for shotgun residue, and it was lost to them.”
Shodunke handed himself over to police in February 2011. He was originally charged with possessing a firearm which was later dropped. He will be sentenced on July 19.
Most Read News
Newham gang operation leads to 13 arrests in dawn raids
Police burst through the doors of 13 suspected gang members today in a series of dawn raids to crack down on street violence.
Local advertisers
Other Crime & Court articles
- Families kept awake all night by heavy metal music from illegal rave party in Silvertown
- Manor Park landlord fined £12,000 for failing to license flats
- Newham gang operation leads to 13 arrests in dawn raids
- Custom House woman to stand trial over acid attack
- ‘Prolific offender’ of Custom House wanted by police
- Fifth suspect arrested in connection with Forest Gate killing
- Grieving family of murdered Stratford teen urge witnesses to end their heartache
- Forest Gate fatal stabbing: Victim identified as 17-year-old boy from Romford
- CCTV video: Stratford teen jailed for 15 years for killing birthday gatecrasher
- Family pay tribute to East Ham man discovered dead in caravan
- Double stabbing leaves one dead in Forest Gate
- Police investigating death of East Ham man found in caravan
- Met Commissioner visits east London to strengthen ties with faith communities
- Burglar squeezed through half-opened window in Manor Park
- Distinctive red bag with silver Hindu Swastika symbol among stolen items recovered by Newham Police
- Over 11,000 dodgy cigarettes seized in Newham in one day
- Opinion: Newham police Borough Commander:“Tasers are one of the safest methods we have”
- Burglars leave Plaistow pensioner with head injuries
- Danny O’Shea: Accused denies confessing to Custom House “shanking”
- Detectives probe sex attack in East Ham park
- Woman raped five times by Stratford man she met on dating website, court hears
- Man stabbed repeatedly in Canning Town fight
- University student charged with throwing acid in shop worker’s face appears in court
- Custom House woman charged over Naomi Oni acid attack
- West Ham woman racially abused by train gang
-
Use our Wedding site to help you plan your big day! - At WeddingSite we know how much you have to organise for your wedding day, that's why we have designed a set of FREE, simple-to-use tools to make the planning process easy & hassle-free. FIND OUT MORE
-
Find a date using our online dating and friend finder - You can meet new friends, find romance or simply meet up online with people sharing similar interests and hobbies. FIND OUT MORE
-
Find a local business using our online directory search - Need a plumber? Or a florist? Or anything else? Search our business directory to find Newham businesses in just a few seconds. FIND OUT MORE
-
Family notices from the Newham Recorder, with readers' tributes - In memoriam, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, best wishes & special days. FIND OUT MORE
Around the Web See all
Sweet! London skyline made out of sugar cubes
It might look sweet, but a sugar cube recreation of London’s skyline is not for eating.
- Downing Street and Abbey Road signs auctioned off
- London Zoo searching for female fish to help save critically endangered species
- Thank You London gives people chance to show their gratitude
- Royal Ascot sets out 2013 style guide for Royal Enclosure
- VIDEO: Shepherd drives geese across Putney Bridge