Default Heading H1
Two members of the WoolyO gang, a group linked to a series of violent incidents and firearms offences in South East London, have had their prison sentences increased by the Court of Appeal, after judges ruled they were unduly lenient.
The six men, aged between 18 and 28, were sentenced in March for offences linked to a long-running gang feud, which played out through violence, drill music, and social media threats. They were linked to two shootings on the Cherry Orchard Estate in Charlton and had boasted online about their crimes, assigning bullets to named individuals in videos.
Original Sentences and Appeal Review
The gang members were originally sentenced as follows:
- Dafe Orogun, 22, Abbey Wood – 15 years
- Karan Singh, 19, Woolwich – 9 years
- Bryan Aidoo, 19, Lambeth – 4 years
- Roqeeb Ladeaga, 23, Eltham – 4.5 years
- Stephen Ayanleye, 28, Charlton – 5 years
- Gabriel Adepoju, 23, West Norwood – 4 years
On Thursday, 20 June, all six sentences were referred to the Court of Appeal as being potentially too lenient. However, only the sentences of Bryan Aidoo and Roqeeb Ladeaga were increased — to five years each.
Appeal judges found that although the other sentences were “on the lenient side,” they were not outside the scope of reasonable judicial discretion.
Police: “They Tried to Glamourise Their Lifestyle”
Following the original sentencing in March, Detective Inspector Yoni Adler of Essex Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit said:
“The WoolyOs boasted about their criminal activity and came to Essex to commit further crime. They carried firearms and even filmed themselves doing so. They tried to glamourise their lifestyle — but it’s a lifestyle that has caught up with them.”
He credited a joint investigation between Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police’s Trident team for securing convictions.
“These convictions show that carrying guns comes with punishment. Guns have no place on our streets, and we will robustly investigate anyone we believe to be carrying them.”
Two members of the gang initially denied the charges, claiming they were not involved. However, the jury rejected their stories, leading to guilty verdicts.
Background: Violence and Drill Music
The WoolyO gang, based in Woolwich, had been engaged in a bitter feud with a rival London gang, marked by escalating violence, online threats, and music videos that openly referenced real-life gun crimes.
The case was a chilling reminder of the links between drill music, online provocation, and real-world violence, with detectives highlighting how gang culture continues to pose a threat to public safety.
