London Fields Boys gang chief jailed

Alleged head of Hackney gang jailed with criminal colleague.

THE head of the notorious London Fields Boys gang is behind bars after armed police caught him and an accomplice driving the streets of Hackney with a loaded gun.

Darren Brissett, 33, of Shafton Road, South Hackney, was caught with Mark Griffiths, 35, of Banister House, Homerton High Street, driving the borough’s streets with a loaded handgun.

Brissett is the suspected top guy in the London Fields Boys, an infamous gang who have previously had members jailed for the murder of schoolboy Shaquille Smith in 2008.

Operation Trident, the Metropolitan police’s crack unit tackling gun crime in London, swooped on a silver Ford fiesta driving along Danesdale Road, South Hackney, with CO19 armed officers at 8.50pm on July 15.

A search of the car found the handgun and three bullets and the pair were arrested.

Once in custody Griffiths refused to say where he lived but investigators discovered his address and found another handgun in a wardrobe.

Both men were charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition and were due to stand trial on Tuesday January 4.

However both pleaded guilty late on and Brissett was jailed for five years while Griffiths, who also pleaded guilty to a second possession of a firearm charge, was jailed for seven years.

Det Insp Chris Jones, from Trident, said: “We’re pleased that two dangerous offenders, who thought nothing of driving around the streets of Hackney with a firearm in their car, are now behind bars for a substantial length of time.

“The two were found with a loaded firearm in the vehicle. They are extremely dangerous people.

“We are very pleased, very satisfied with the result. It sends a good message to anyone carrying a firearm that they will be caught.

“We are looking to target these individuals and make sure they don’t have the ability to commit acts of violence on the streets.”