Teenager convicted of murdering woman in Hackney

A teenager has been convicted of the murder of Lianne Gordon in Hackney.

Lianne Gordon was sheltering behind her front door at home when she was shot and killed on 5 December 2023. While she might not have been the intended target, we know that her needless death was a consequence of a gang dispute.

A 17-year-old boy [A] appeared at the Old Bailey where, following trial, he was convicted on Wednesday, 30 October, of the murder of Lianne Gordon.

He was also found guilty of affray, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a bladed article and two counts of attempted murder, He had earlier pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

He will be sentenced at the same court on Monday, 2 December.

The court heard that police were called at 18:28hrs on Tuesday, 5 December 2023, to reports of a shooting outside an address in Vine Close, E5. Officers and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service attended and found three people with gunshot wounds.

Despite the efforts of the emergency services to save her, Lianne Gordon, 42, sadly died at the scene.

Two other people, a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries that were not life threatening.

The defendant was arrested at his home address on 8 December 2023.

Officers searched his home address and recovered Class A drugs, a machete, a ‘burner phone’ and drug paraphernalia.

A search of his IT equipment showed that, after he returned home from the shooting, he conducted 65 searches on news sites and social media relating to a ‘fatal shooting in Hackney’ and ‘Lianne Gordon’. He was charged with murder on 9 December 2023 and remanded in custody.

Footage seized by officers also showed the defendant approaching the two male victims as they stood outside Lianne Gordon’s home on Vine Close. He fired shots at them both as they attempted to hide behind parked cars.

It was at this point that Lianne, realising she was in danger, attempted to close the door, but the teenager was able to shoot her before she could do so. That single shot ended her life and a post-mortem examination confirmed that Lianne had died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Forensic officers recovered shell casings from the scene and ballistic scientific testing confirmed that the gun that was used in Lianne’s murder was also used in an incident on 2 December 2023 where shots were fired close to the entrance to Vine Close. On that occasion there were no reported injuries.

A glove was found in a search of the 17-year-old’s home address. This had his DNA and firearm residue on it, linking him to the fatal shooting.

Officers would later seize song lyrics, composed by the defendant in his cell, that were a self-congratulating outline of the murder and the shootings.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke who led the investigation said: “The defendant was a known gang member with previous involvement in drugs and violence. Lianne Gordon was a mother of two who was shot dead for reasons we may never know or fathom.

“I am pleased that the murderer will face the consequences of his actions, but also that he will spend years of his life in a place where he can no longer pose a threat to the community.

“While nothing can bring Lianne back, I sincerely hope that today’s verdict brings some comfort to her loved ones.”

A/Ch Supt Brigid Beehag-Fisher, responsible for policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets said: "I welcome today’s result which has brought justice to the family of Lianne Gordon. Whilst this verdict will not bring back a mother to her family, it does bring some closure to her family, friends and the local community who have been impacted by this tragic event.

“We are committed to tackling gun crime and serious violence across London and today’s verdict is testament to the hard work of the team taking violent and dangerous individuals off the streets and protecting our local communities.

“If you know someone who is carrying a weapon or involved with serious violence, I ask you to come forward to the police or via the independent charity Crimestoppers to prevent another tragedy like this from happening again."