A SHOP owner was nearly killed just for holding another man’s child, a court heard.
James Bryant, 24, was shot twice in the chest in front of his mother in Woodford Green in November last year reports the East London and West Essex Guardian Series.
Two men now stand trial at the Old Bailey accused of conspiring to murder the young businessman, who used to co-own Cakes & Shakes milkshake parlour in High Road.
Romaine Arthur, 23, of Hazel Way in Chingford, conspired to kill Bryant with co-defendant Temidire Owolabi, 21, of Brandon Close in Chafford Hundred, the jury heard.
Arthur was incensed that Bryant had been holding his baby boy during a trip to Westfield Stratford City on November 12, alleged prosecutor Richard Horwell QC, and so hired Owolabi to kill Bryant.
Bryant visited the shopping centre that day with his friend Orin Barrow and Barrow’s girlfriend, also Arthur’s former partner, Sade Lasisi, who brought her and Arthur’s two-year-old son Romaine Junior.
Bryant was spotted carrying Romaine Junior by two of Arthur’s friends, who immediately phoned Arthur, it was alleged.
That evening, Mr Horwell stated, Owolabi was hired by Arthur to fire a ‘warning shot’ with a shotgun at Cakes & Shakes in High Road, which smashed the front window.
The prosecution added that Bryant was not intimidated. He responded to the attack on Facebook that night by writing: “You’re popping but no-one’s dropping so you ain’t shooting right.”
Mr Horwell added: “This was a severe provocation to Arthur, this was a humiliation. Over the next 40 hours or so Arthur planned his retaliation.”
This, he continued, was to murder Bryant. The jury saw CCTV footage of a hooded gunman open the shop door and shoot Bryant twice in the chest before running off, at about 2pm on November 14.
The prosecution alleged the gunman was Owolabi, claiming telephone signal evidence and fingerprints left on the shop door tie him to the crime.
Horwell added that after Owolabi had been caught, Arthur offered £20,000 to Bryant to pay him not to say anything – an offer that was rejected.
Mr Horwell said: “Rarely has the value of a human life been set lower than that of James Bryant.”
Owolabi and Arthur both deny charges of conspiracy to murder.
Arthur denies two counts of intent to pervert the course of public justice.
Owolabi also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and one count of attempted murder.
Owolabi has said he was at a friend’s house playing video games on the day of the shooting.
The trial continues.
Bryant spent two and a half months in hospital after the attack and is still recovering.
