Paul Allen, robbery victim, was shot in 2019, leaving him paralyzed. Three men are on trial for conspiracy to murder.
In 2019, someone shot Allen at his home in Woodford Green. The shooting left him paralyzed. Allen was 41 and out of prison at that time.
The Old Bailey court heard the attackers aimed to kill, and they almost succeeded. Louis Ahearne, Stewart Ahearne, and Daniel Kelly are accused; allegedly, they plotted to murder Allen, and possibly, others were involved too.
The prosecutor, Michael Shaw, spoke at their trial, which started on Wednesday. He said gunshots were fired on July 11, 2019, just past 11:09 p.m. A Glock 9mm handgun was used. Allen was in his kitchen when shot.
His house was on Malvern Drive in Woodford, London. The shooters intended to kill him, and Shaw said the evidence will prove that. They nearly succeeded that night, as at least six bullets hit him. Two bullets struck Allen directly, with one hitting his throat and causing permanent paralysis.
Neighbors, police, and paramedics quickly helped. Surgeons removed a bullet from his spine, saving Allen’s life. Three men are now on trial, accused of planning and doing the attack.
Many people in Woodford heard the loud gunshots, and police received many emergency calls. Neighbors heard loud bangs, and Allen’s partner screamed constantly, shouting, “He’s been shot!”
Neighbors rushed to help and found Jade Bovingdon screaming and asking for an ambulance. Allen was in the hallway, struggling to breathe, holding a towel to his neck, and one bullet almost cut off his little finger.
A security guard gave first aid until armed police arrived, followed by paramedics who assisted Allen. Other neighbors saw figures running away fast, getting into a hired Renault Captur, and the “mission car” sped off quickly.
Police investigated the scene and found shell casings near a summer house. They swabbed a fence, and DNA matched Kelly and Louis Ahearne. The gun had an effective sight, which police found at Kelly’s home a month later, Shaw said.
Allen is a career criminal, the prosecutor stated, calling him very sophisticated. Allen was convicted for the Securitas Express robbery some years ago, and much of the £54 million stolen remains missing.
By 2019, Allen lived in Woodford, sharing a large house with his partner and children. The defendants traveled from Woolwich in south London, using the Blackwall Tunnel to get to Allen’s house, as part of their plan.
Shaw told the jury they weren’t going on a picnic, and they scouted the area, including the morning of the shooting. People used unregistered mobile phones for communication and hired vehicles; this was all part of planning well.
Stewart Ahearne hired the Renault Captur from Dartford, and the others allegedly used it for a burglary in Kent the day before the shooting.
CCTV cameras caught key events on a house next to the scene that night. Kelly allegedly did reconnaissance in a Mercedes on the previous morning and earlier dates. Allen arrived home in a Ford Fiesta and went out again in his Mercedes later, allegedly delaying their plan.
Shaw told the jury they tracked the Mercedes and attached a tracking device. Louis Ahearne is from Greenwich, while Stewart Ahearne and Kelly have no fixed address. All three deny conspiracy to murder Allen between June 26 and July 12 2019.