That's just living in London

On 31 August 2004, The Daily Mail reported on the death of Lee Subaran:

"The Notting Hill carnival ended in horror last night as a man was shot dead near a busy station... One witness, who did not want to give her name, said last night: 'Everyone was just partying, having a good time, dancing in the streets. The guy was right in the middle of the party and this bloke just came up to him and shot him point-blank.

It was terrifying. I can't believe what happened. I just ran away as quick as I could. Everyone just scattered, people were running and screaming'...

Before the shooting, police had made 114 arrests during the two-day carnival for offences such as criminal damage, drugs, carrying an offensive weapon, theft and robbery...

The Carnival has been marred by violence in the past. Abdul Bhatti, 28, and father- of- one Greg Watson, 21, were murdered on the Monday evening in 2000. Riots in 1976 threatened the future of the event...

Some 10,500 police had been on duty over the weekend for what is the Metropolitan Police's biggest annual public order event. There were 80 CCTV cameras watching the carnival route...

In another violent incident last night, a gang of youths 'steamed' a train on the North London Line, robbing passengers at Brondesbury. One man was stabbed in the leg".

The Chairman of the Notting Hill Carnival Company, Chris Mullard, said:

"This particular incident occurred outside the carnival time and outside the carnival area, it does indicate it has nothing to do with the carnival. We just hope that most people who went to the carnival, when they hear this news, will say 'Well, that's just living in London, it has nothing to do with us as carnivalists'."

You heard it from the horse's a***, folks, Lee's death had nothing to do with the carnival. The cops must have agreed. The BBC reported them as having said there was 'a great carnival atmosphere' and:

"Police have praised behaviour at the 40th Notting Hill Carnival... Police have praised the peaceful spirit of the 40th Notting Hill Carnival."

"Scotland Yard said... they were 'extremely pleased' with how it had gone."

Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Wayne Mawson said:

"The atmosphere is fantastic. It has been very peaceful... Yesterday was a superb family day and everyone who came really enjoyed themselves'."

PLOD, PLOD, PC PLOD. Thing is Wayne, 10,500 police were thought necessary to preserve order and 114 arrests were made. And a man was shot dead. PC, in Wayne's case, does not stand for Police Constable.

On 13 December 2006, the BBC told us this:

"About a dozen members of the drug-dealing Mus Luv Crew gang... surrounded Mr Subaran and his brother Tyrone at a street party... The victim... was shot at point blank range in the neck and chest after being accused of showing disrespect to gang member Leon Roberts. Detectives believe up to six guns were drawn during the incident and bullets were fired from at least three."

'Mus Love Crew' gang members, Tafari Dacas, Lloywen Carty, Conroy Smith, Leon Roberts, Shane Taylor, and Jermaine Labastide were found guilty of Lee Subaran's murder. Sentencing Roberts, Dacas and Taylor (they were tried seperately from the others) to life imprisonment, Judge Brian Barker said:

"You acted in complete disregard to the law, society and members of the public who just wanted to enjoy the evening in a happy way".

They waved to their relatives and then shouted abuse as they were led to the cells.

Lloywen Carty was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Lee Subaran. A month beforehand, his cousin, Donnel Carty, was jailed for 21 years for the street murder of lawyer, Tom ap Rhys Pryce.

In May 2011, Santre Gayle, Britain's 'youngest ever hitman' was convicted of the murder of Gulistan Subasi. The 15-year-old blasted her in the chest with a sawn-off shotgun at point-blank range on the doorstep of her home.

Gayle is the half-brother of Lloywen Carty.

You will remember the PC buzz words 'cohesion', 'diversity' and 'enrichment.' New Labour was very fond of using them back in the glory days when they were 'rubbing the right's nose in diversity.' I wonder if Chief Inspector Wayne Mawson would advise us to cohere with the Carties? I wonder if those who know so much better and see so much further than we do imagine that the introduction of a few young hitmen might diversify any 'unhealthily all white' areas in an enriching kind of way?

On 21 February 2008, Wayne Mawson, who was by then a Superintendent, was quoted thus by The Evening Standard:

"I gave in to them because it was either that or start challenging them. My quality of life has improved massively since then."

The Standard explained:

"A police chief has admitted he was forced to move house by youths lurking outside his home. Superintendent Wayne Mawson... said he left the property in Hackney because he did not want to confront teenagers sitting on his wall. The head of operations for Haringey, north London, added that the youths had made him nervous about his work...

Mr Mawson, who earns about £70,000 a year... was promoted to Inspector in August 2000. After leading a response team he then took over the role as borough liaison officer and wrote the first crime and disorder reduction partnership strategy.

He was made a chief inspector in July 2003 at Harrow and became head of the partnership unit. In May 2004 he transferred to territorial policing HQ as staff officer to the deputy assistant commissioner, territorial policing, and later to assistant commissioner, central operations, at New Scotland Yard".

Top cops aren't what they used to be, are they?

Wayne Mawson is still with the force and is now a Chief Superintendant.