'Yardie' demands asylum

Police in London have recovered weapons from Yardies

An alleged Jamaican criminal is claiming political asylum in the UK because he fears he could be killed by rivals in his home country, it is reported.

The man, believed to be a "Yardie" gang member, is currently under police protection in a London hospital.

He received gunshot wounds in a gangster dispute, according to reports in the Sunday Telegraph.

The newspaper reported that the man entered the UK legally but overstayed his visa.

Weapons recovered

He is unlikely to be discharged from the south London hospital for several months.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office refused to confirm reports and said: "We will not discuss individual applications for asylum."

The Metropolitan Police has recovered scores of weapons from Yardie criminals - many being seized as a result of Operation Trident.

Since the operation began in 1998, the rate of shootings has slowed and the number of arrests has increased.

Crime culture

Officers working on Operation Trident have been compiling information on the links between guns and drugs and investigating shootings across London.

The name "Yardies" refers to criminals from the impoverished back yards of Kingston, Jamaica.

More recently small numbers of British-born black men have mimicked their activities.