Murder plotter's life sentence

A remand prisoner has been sentenced to life for ordering a shooting using a mobile phone smuggled into prison.

Delphon Nicholas, 29, from Lewisham, south-east London, was convicted on Thursday of murdering Andrew Wanogho, in Brockley, on 8 April 2006.

Nicholas made dozens of calls from London's Belmarsh prison to gunman Trevor Dennie, the Old Bailey heard.

Dennie, 33, from Deptford, south-east London was also convicted of murder and jailed for life.

Both men were ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years in prison.

"You exude an aura of violence"
Judge Richard Hone

Sentencing both men Judge Richard Hone said: "We have had an insight into what goes on in Belmarsh prison.

"It was a real eye-opener for us all.

"You are two cold-blooded killers.

"You exude an aura of violence. You are both extremely dangerous."

Three other people charged with the murder were acquitted by the court on Thursday.

They were Sereata Barrie, 29, Michael Williams, 28, both from Lewisham, and Erran Cato, 25, from Stamford Hill, north London.

The judge also ordered Nicholas to serve nine months for attacking co-defendant Sereata Barrie in the docks while the jury was considering its verdict.

Judge Hone told the jury that the gun used in Mr Wanogho's murder had been used in four other shootings within the black community.

"It is a travelling gun, handed from hand to hand in the community which, in circumstances like this, responds with a wall of silence."

During the trial the court heard how Mr Wanogho, 26, was shot in the street after being lured to an address in south London in a trap organised by Nicholas.

In 2002, Mr Wanogho faced a murder trial himself following the shooting of Damian Cope, 24, outside a club in Holborn, central London.

Blocking mobile signals

He was acquitted after two witnesses refused to give evidence in the case.

The latest trial heard Nicholas and Mr Wanogho had been friends but they had fallen out.

In February 2006, Mr Wanogho - known by the street name Sparks - insulted Nicholas by assaulting his father and stealing his car, which the prosecution said resulted in Mr Wanogho being "set up for execution".

At the time of Mr Wanogho's murder, Nicholas was on remand over an unrelated matter and was subsequently acquitted.

Following Friday's sentencing, Det Insp David Manning said that the phone had been given to Nicholas by another inmate after it was smuggled in from a lower category prison.

He also called for the law to be changed to allow the use of equipment to prevent prisoners from talking on mobile phones.

"The technology to block signals has been available for some time but it is illegal to use it at the moment," Mr Manning said.

"I hope this case will spur a change in the law. I accept there are problems, including blocking mobiles used by prison staff."