Footballer jailed for life for gun murder

FOOTBALLER Gavin Grant was jailed for life yesterday for shooting a former friend and told he would serve at least 25 years.

The 26-year-old former Millwall striker thought he had got away with murder after Leon Labastide, 21, was gunned down outside his parents' home in 2004.

Grant had been cleared in August 2007 of the shooting murder of Jahmall Moore. But justice caught up with him when he was charged with Mr Labastide's murder when new witnesses came forward.

Gareth Downie, 25, and Damian Williams, 32, were also jailed for life and given minimum terms of 25 years - Downie for Mr Labastide's murder and Williams for conspiracy to murder.

The Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, said Mr Labastide's murder had been in revenge for a series of "tit-for-tat" shootings.

Grant, from Kenton, north London, Williams, of Southwark, south London, and Downie, of Markby Road, Birmingham, looked angry as they were sentenced.

A charge that Grant had committed perjury at his trial for murdering Mr Moore, 22, was allowed to lie on file.

Stephen Batten QC, prosecuting, said that many of the people involved in the case had been linked to shootings and drug dealing on the Stonebridge Park Estate, Harlesden, north London.

Detective Inspector Steve Horsley said: "Gavin Grant thought he had got away with murder."