Five jailed for contract killing

Five jailed for contract killing

Paul Arden and Andrew Synott supplied drugs in the Adswood area

Five men have been jailed for their part in the gangland killing of a drug dealer who was shot in front of his girlfriend and her young son.

Paul Reilly, 31, was shot at his home in Greater Manchester, in January 2001.

A jury heard the killing, at the house in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, had been ordered by rival dealer, Andrew Synott.

On Wednesday, Synott and four other men, including his brother, were given life sentences at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

The prosecution was given vital evidence by a key member of Synott's gang - known only as Mr X.

He is now living under the witness protection programme.

Paul Reilly was shot as he watched television with his girlfriend

The court heard Mr Reilly, who controlled drug dealing in the Lancashire Hill area of Stockport, had launched a bid to take over his rival's Adswood turf.

It followed an incident in which a car owned by Mr Reilly's sister was shot at, allegedly by members of the Synott gang.

Prosecutor Alan Conrad QC said that members of a gang led by Mr Reilly then attacked property belonging to the Synotts.

They forced his gang to flee, telling them they would be allowed back only if they promised not to deal in drugs and paid £30,000.

The court heard Synott's gang then recruited two men, Kassam Essa and Colin Blackburn, to plot Mr Reilly's murder.

Three masked men broke into his home as he was watching television and shot him.

His girlfriend and her younger son witnessed some of the attack.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice David Poole said: "This was a barbarous act - all the worse for having been carefully planned.

Blackburn (c) and Essa (r) were recruited to plot the murder

"No matter the background...there was no possible justification for the means you employed to resolve your predicament."

Detective Inspector Mark Gibby, of Greater Manchester Police, said convictions were only secured through the "bravery" of people who knew the gangs, in giving evidence.

"Reilly's lifestyle had made him a number of enemies, but his murder and the fact that he was shot in front of young children shocked the local residents and the criminal fraternity who have all come forward to help," he said.

"The conviction will put behind bars an organised drug gang from Stockport and a professional killing team from north Manchester."

Gang leader Synott, 39, of Platt Street, Tintwistle, Derbyshire, his half brother Paul Arden, 28, of no fixed address, his brother Michael Synott, 41, of Appleby Close, Bridgehall, Stockport, Colin Blackburn, 26, of Woodlands Road, Cheetham, Manchester, and 27-year-old Kassam Essa, of Huxley Avenue, Cheetham, were all convicted of conspiracy to murder.