A teenager who disguised himself as a food delivery driver to carry out a broad daylight murder in south London has been convicted after prosecutors proved the shooting bore the hallmarks of serious organised crime.
Neo Duodu-Watson, 18, from Peckham, wore a distinctive Just Eat jacket and rode a stolen moped to avoid arousing suspicion when he shot 16-year-old Lathaniel Burrell outside a block of flats in Paradise Road, Stockwell on the afternoon of 4 March last year. The Old Bailey heard the killing was a planned, organised and premeditated attack linked to the illegal drugs trade.
Omar Prempeh, 33, from Forest Hill, was also found guilty of murder on Friday after the court heard he drove the gunman to and from the scene in a white Nissan Juke fitted with a specially constructed hiding place ideal for concealing firearms. Both men were remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.
Prosecutors told jurors the defendants used a “trap house” – premises where illegal drugs are sold – as a base before and after the shooting. The Just Eat jacket worn by the gunman was linked to that address, and following a search, police found live ammunition in one of the bedrooms.
Duodu-Watson fired two shots from a converted pistol capable of discharging live ammunition. One bullet struck Lathaniel in the chest, causing “catastrophic” internal bleeding. The teenager collapsed and died at the scene after attempting to run away, despite efforts from members of the public and emergency medical staff.
Prosecution barrister Alan Gardner KC stated: “The gunman would have fired more shots but his firearm malfunctioned and disintegrated, leaving parts behind at the scene which were later found by the police. However, the two shots he did fire were enough to achieve what the gunman intended.”
The court heard Prempeh’s vehicle contained a concealed compartment specifically designed to hide weapons, demonstrating the sophisticated nature of the operation. Gardner suggested the killing’s origins lay in the trade in illegal drugs and possessed “many of the hallmarks of serious organised crime.”
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee described the case as having “a deeply troubling element of child exploitation at its core” and praised her team for undertaking “meticulous work” in analysing CCTV, phone records and social media to “construct a minute-by-minute account of the suspects’ actions.”
She stated: “Our thoughts remain firmly with Lathaniel’s family as they continue to navigate the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one in such a senseless and violent way. I am immensely proud of my team, who worked tirelessly and with unwavering dedication to secure today’s outcome.”
Jurors were discharged after failing to reach verdicts on charges against three additional men, who will face a retrial scheduled for November. The prosecution case against these defendants will be reheard before a new jury later this year.
The investigation involved extensive forensic work recovering parts of the disintegrated firearm from the scene, tracing the stolen moped used by Duodu-Watson, and examining the concealed compartment in Prempeh’s vehicle. Officers also analysed movements to and from the trap house where preparations for the murder took place.
Sentencing for Duodu-Watson and Prempeh will be scheduled at a later date, with both men facing mandatory life sentences for murder. The judge will determine the minimum terms they must serve before being considered for parole.
