Two men jailed after mother killed in drive-by shooting outside wake

Two men found guilty of a drive-by shooting at a wake in which a mother-of-two was murdered have been jailed.

Michelle Sadio, 44, died after shots were fired at mourners in Willesden, north west London, on 14 December 2024. Two men in their 30s were also injured, with one paralysed below the waist.

A jury at the Old Bailey previously had found Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, and Amir Salem, 20, both from Wembley, guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

At the same court on Wednesday, Allen-Thomas was handed a minimum term of 38 years in prison and Salem was given 26 years.

The judge, Mrs Justice McGowan, said began as a "happy, family orientated" event turned into a "terrible tragedy".

Even though children were present, the senior judge said: "This was not a shooting intent or intending to kill children - the murderers simply did not care who was killed."

In a victim impact statement, widower Jean-Marie Sadio, who worked with Ms Sadio at the same law firm, said he had chosen to forgive her killers.

"The ones who were behind what happened that night can never know what they have done. I have forgiven them because the future has to be my focus for the sake of my children," he said.

"I cannot have our son and daughter growing up with hatred in their hearts and bitterness for something they don't have any power to fix."

Addressing the defendants in the dock, he said: "Today, you stand guilty before all but, most importantly, you stand forgiven.

"Do not burden yourself with guilt but an unquenchable and determined desire to change. If you succeed in this, you would have repaid society."

The court previously heard how Ms Sadio was among around 100 mourners, including children as young as five, attending the wake for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong.

Around 9pm, a black Kia pulled up outside and shots were fired into a crowd of guests on the pavement.

Ms Sadio was hit and died at the scene, while Transport for London contractor Kenneth Amoah, 39, was hit in the back and paralysed below the waist, while self-employed Kadeem Francis, 32, was shot in the foot.

The intended target was said to have been a rapper called Trapstar Toxic, real name Adetokunbo Ajibola, 33, who was at the event.

Allen-Thomas, who had a string of drug convictions and gang associations, was said to have helped organise the shooting but ensured he was elsewhere at the time.

Jurors heard Salem, who was 18 at the time, had bought some of the petrol later used to set fire to the stolen Kia used in the attack.

On the night of the shooting he was in contact with the Kia occupants and reported back to Allen-Thomas, jurors were told.

At least four shots were fired, though it was not clear who in the Kia pulled the trigger. The prosecution alleged two of the men in the Kia fled the country after the incident.

(c) Sky News 2026: Two men jailed after mother killed in drive-by shooting outside wake