A young man fatally shot the sibling of a professional soccer player using an altered firearm due to a refusal to comply with his demands. The victim, Jesse Lloyd-Smith, was gunned down in an alley near his mother’s residence in Peckham, London, on July 10. Jesse, aged 20, was the brother of Lexi Lloyd-Smith, a player for Bristol City and England U23s.
The perpetrator, Gabriel Charles, aged 19, arrived at the location in a burnt-out Ford S-Max, which he later deserted. Charles fled abroad following the incident and denied involvement in the murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years by Judge Patrick Field KC at the Old Bailey. The judge described Jesse’s killing as a premeditated act involving careful planning.
During the court proceedings, Jesse’s sister Chaise emphasized that her brother was not confrontational and was targeted for refusing to obey commands. She expressed her profound grief and anger towards those involved in the crime. Gabriel Charles, from Southwark, London, was found guilty of murder, while his co-defendant Kywan JN Pierre was convicted of conspiracy to pervert justice. Additional accomplices were also found guilty of aiding in the cover-up.
The court heard how the assailant approached Jesse while he was in the alley, firing multiple shots before fleeing the scene. Jesse’s mother, Ty Lloyd-Smith, who was nearby, heard the shots and rushed to find her son wounded. Despite immediate medical attention, Jesse succumbed to his injuries the following day. Police recovered evidence, including spent cartridges and bullets, from the crime scene.
In a separate sentencing, five individuals were convicted of conspiracy to pervert justice, with varying prison terms imposed. The sentences ranged from two to five years for aiding in the cover-up. The incident was partially captured on CCTV footage, further corroborating the events leading to Jesse’s tragic death.
