18 gang members receive ‘largest group injunction ever secured’

Two Birmingham gangs known as the Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew will be banned from entering large parts of the city and associating with each other after being served with injunctions. West Midlands Police (WMP) and Birmingham City Council served the judicial orders to 18 men suspected of involvement in gun and drug offences, in a landmark ruling believed to be the largest group gang injunction ever secured. The men, aged between 19 and 29, will not be able to enter the Birmingham city centre, as well as Handsworth, Newton, Winson Green and Lozells for the next two years. Granted on July 13, the injunctions allow officers to restrict the vehicles and mobile phones used by the men. They have also been banned from making music videos that “have the effect of promoting gang-related violence or drug dealing”. More than 80 people from the Home Office and WMP gave evidence between February and June ahead of the orders being granted. The Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew are known for being involved in a drive-by shooting at a new year’s party in 2003 which killed two innocent girls, Letisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis. Detective Sergeant Ian Comfort, lead detective from the CID Prevent Team, said: “We set out to disrupt and curtail gang activity following around 20 firearm offences involving Birmingham gangs during the summer of 2015 and into the start of 2016. “We secured interim injunctions to reduce the violence and ensure the community had on-going respite from the incidents. We also dealt swiftly with a number of subsequent breaches. “This is relatively new legislation and we believe that securing final full injunctions on such a large number of gang members is a UK first.” Gang injunctions have been available since 2011 under the Policing and Crime Act 2009, but were modified under the Serious Crime Act 2015 to widen the definition of gang activity to other issues such as drug dealing. The injunctions are applied for in the civil court in addition to sentences received by the gang members. WMP secured interim injunctions for the gang members in 2016. Det Sgt Comfort added that the force will continue to work with the 18 men if they wish to “turn their back on a gang lifestyle”. Superintendent Mat Shaer said WMP together with the local council, other voluntary groups and charities have made “exhaustive efforts” with these men and their families to try and steer them away gang culture before they were handed the injunctions. “My officers will be responsible for enforcing the terms of the injunctions and if the men fail to adhere to the conditions they can and will be arrested,” he added. “These civil injunctions add to our armoury and do not replace criminal prosecutions or investigations. “These powers allow us to manage the men and restrict their movements. We can restrict their associations and where they are allowed to go within the area.” West Midlands police and crime commissioner, David Jamieson, said: “I am delighted the authorities in our region have been able to come together to take this really tough action and disrupt these gangs from their criminal behaviour. “These young men are dangerous and a menace to ordinary people. They must be stopped from behaving like thugs and terrorising hard working people. In the autumn, I will also publish a plan which will set out how we intend to tackle the problem of gangs in the West Midlands.” The men who received injunctions are: First row Lawrence Morgan, 21, from Nechells Jerome Jones, 21, from Erdington Jerome Christie, 21, from Nechells Jacob Brown, 24, from Handsworth Cash Wallace, 24, from Winson Green Ishmail Lee, 29, from Wolverhampton Second row Ushane Jeffers, 23, from Newtown Kayne Robinson, 23, from Springhill Ashai Grey, 23, from Walsall Isaac Duffus, 28, from Erdington Baboucarr Huma, 19, from Handsworth