Warning to young people on gangs

09 February 2012

On Monday and Tuesday this week (6 & 7 February) eleven gang members were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being convicted of conspiracy to supply thousands of pounds worth of heroin and crack cocaine in and around southwest London estates.

The group, aged between 27 and 14, were all arrested following a proactive intelligence operation by the Met's London Crime Squad last year. The operation began in November 2010, where undercover officers purchased drugs on several sites including the Doddington, Patmore, Surrey Lanes and Winstanley estates in Battersea.

Known as Operation Gorgas, it targeted known drug dealing on several estates in Wandsworth, where crack and heroin were openly being sold by the gang.

As the Operation Gorgas gang members begin their jail sentences this week they will join other convicted gang members in prison. One of those already serving is Wole Osinlaru, 23, who is currently serving an indeterminate sentence at HMP Isis, South London. Wole is not connected to this week's Operation Gorgas sentencing.

Wole was jailed for six years in April 2009 after pleading guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court for his part in a robbery at a watch store in Knightsbridge.

Wole, from Highbury, said: "Going to prison was the worst day of my life. My sentence is indeterminate, which means I won't be released until someone says I can. Being in prison is not easy. I miss my family; I missed my brother going to university and I also have a two-year-old brother who has never seen me out of prison. Every day is a struggle and you have to take every day as it comes. Prison can break you and I have seen that happen to people here. "

Wole is a prison 'listener', offering advice to other young offenders at HMP Isis. He is studying for a degree in health and social care and wants to work with young people like himself, so they don't make the same mistakes as him.

He added: "I can't blame what happened to me on other people. I have got myself into this situation. At the end of the day, I have my own mind, but I was easily led. I let myself be brainwashed, I let myself listen to other people's versions of life - being told that if you need something, or want something- you take it. That is not true. If you really want something, you have to work hard for it.

"At the end of the day, their families haven't committed the crime, but they have to suffer. You love your family - my advice is to stay away from gangs - stay away from negative people."

Wole gives his warning on the day after the Metropolitan Police Service launched the new Trident Gang Crime Command.

Commander Steve Rodhouse from the Metropolitan Police Service said: "I think Wole's story is a stark warning to young people who get caught up in gangs. He is now in prison and has been joined this week by 11 more young people following investigations by the MPS.

"We make no apologies for pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice but we would much rather stop young people offending in the first place.

"Getting involved in gangs can ruin a young person's life. Being in prison is not a positive experience. With a criminal record it can be harder to get a job or into further education, while being involved in violence and crime can lead to getting arrested, sent to prison, seriously injured or even killed.

"We want to prevent young people getting involved in crime. This is why we are working with other agencies to offer ways out of gangs. However, if they refuse our offer of help they will be pursued and brought to justice."