Seven men have been sentenced to a total of more than 150 years in prison for the murder of 24-year-old Kai McGinley in Erith. The sentences were handed down after a jury heard how McGinley was shot dead following a deliberate car ramming on Pembroke Road last February.
The incident occurred around 8:45 PM when McGinley and two friends were driving a Mini Countryman along Pembroke Road. A Land Rover and Peugeot, traveling in the opposite direction, deliberately rammed the Mini, forcing it off the road. The occupants of the Land Rover then exited their severely damaged vehicle, while the men in the Peugeot fired one or two shotguns at close range into the Mini. McGinley was pronounced dead at the scene, while his friends sustained minor injuries as they fled.
A detailed CCTV investigation enabled detectives to track the suspects’ movements. It was discovered that, after the murder, the group hid in a garage belonging to Bradlee Reeve, one of the convicted men, waiting for a family member to pick them up.
Between March and September 2023, seven individuals were charged and subsequently convicted. Their sentences are as follows:
- Bradlee Reeve, 34, of Chapman Road, Erith: Convicted of murder and section 18 GBH, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 33 years.
- Enriko Spahiu, 21, of Elmhurst, Belvedere: Convicted of murder and section 18 GBH, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years.
- Kai Osibodu, 25, of Riverdale Road, Erith: Convicted of murder and section 18 GBH, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years.
- Jalees Selby-Gangera, 19, of Woodfield Close, Erith: Convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to nine and a half years.
- Connor Brooks, 22, of Horsa Road, Erith: Convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years.
- Charlie Brabon, 19, of Byron Drive, Erith: Convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to nine years.
- Anthony Wallder, 21: Convicted of murder and section 18 GBH, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years.
During the trial at the Old Bailey, Kai’s mother, Lena McGinley, described her son as an up-and-coming rap artist with a bright future. She shared the heartbreak of losing him, stating: “Kai was my youngest child and only son. My boy Kai was 24 years old when he went out one day and didn’t come home. It’s incredibly painful to tell my girls he had been killed, not by accident but at the hands of others.”
Lena added that Kai would be remembered for his compassion, humility, and zest for life. His sister, Kelly, echoed these sentiments, stating: “My brother will never be just another statistic. He was our world, and we were his. He had a way of making people feel like they were somebody, even if they didn’t feel like that themselves.”
Prosecutor Brian O’Neill KC told the court that McGinley’s murder was related to drug dealing, although an exact motive was unclear. “The court can be sure that his murder was related to the involvement of him and his friends in drug dealing, and the involvement of most of the defendants in drug dealing in the same geographic area,” he said. O’Neill emphasized that the murder involved a significant degree of planning.
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Payne, who leads one of the Met’s specialist major investigation teams, commented: “The evidence gathered and presented during the trial left the jury in no doubt that these men were guilty of a sinister plan to kill Kai McGinley. We believe there was a dispute over a drugs deal, and they decided the retribution for Kai should be death. It is extremely sad and senseless that Kai lost his life in this way. He was part of a close and loving family who miss him every day. Our thoughts and condolences remain with them as they try to piece their lives back together without him.”
