Two men have sentenced to 29 years in jail for the murder of 23-year-old, Russell Jordan Jones who was shot and stabbing in Enfield.
Bilkan Bilkaner, 20 (23.03.98), of Dartford Avenue, Enfield and Duke Quainoo, 21 (30.10.97), of Holbrook Close, Enfield were found guilty of murder, GBH with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life on Tuesday, 11 December following the conclusion of a trial at the Old Bailey.
Russell Jordan Jones
They were sentenced today, Friday, 11 January at the same court.
Bilkaner was sentenced to 29-years detention and Quainoo was sentenced to 29-years in jail.
A third man, Kallum Martin, 25 (28.09.93) of Enfield was found not guilty of all charges including murder.
The court heard that on the evening of Friday, 16 March, Russell and several friends went for a meal at a restaurant in Green Lanes, Haringey. After the meal, one of his friends wanted to collect his van that had been parked outside a parade of shops on South Street, Enfield, so the group left Haringey and drove to the van.
When they arrived, the group stood outside smoking and talking.
At about 00:30hrs on Saturday, 17 March, Russell and his friends saw a group of males appear to their left – they were wearing dark clothing and masks covering their faces.
Russell and his friends dispersed in different directions before hearing a loud bang, Russell was then attacked in South Street. The subsequent post-mortem held on Thursday, 22 March found Russell had been stabbed 12 times and a gunshot wound to the left side of the abdomen.
Police and London Ambulance Service arrived at approximately 00:45hrs but Russell was pronounced dead at the scene at 01:14hrs.
One of Russell’s friends, also aged 23, was found sitting close to Russell’s body. He was found suffering from a single stab injury to his back and was taken to an east London hospital for treatment before being discharged.
Detectives from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) undertook the investigation into the murder of Russell.
On Thursday, 26 April, both Bilkaner and Quainoo were arrested on suspicion of murder and causing grievous bodily harm. They were both taken to the same north London police station and charged with murder on Friday, 27 April.
In a family impact statement, Russell’s mother said:”Russell was my only son, the twin to my daughter, my parents’ only grandson and my sisters’ only nephew. He was my strength, my protector, the only man that would always love me unconditionally.
“Every day I torture myself with the same horrible questions: did Russell know what was happening to him? Did he know what they were doing? How much pain was he in? What was going through his mind? Was he begging them to stop? Was he crying for his Mum? I have no answers, just a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach each and every time I think about it. These are questions that will forever remain unanswered and will haunt me forever and I will take with me until the end of time.
“I was utterly blessed having Russell as my son. He brought so much joy, happiness and laughter to me, his twin sister, the whole family and anyone who knew him. He was an inspiration to his peers. I just can’t imagine my life without him.
“He will live on in my heart and all of our lives forever, but life for me will never be the same.”
Detective Inspector Simon Stancombe, from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “On a freezing cold night last March, Bilkaner and Quainoo armed themselves with a sawn off shotgun and knives before setting out in search of opposing gang members. Tragically, the group they chose were not in a gang, they were simply a group of young men chatting outside a shop. These two thugs shot Russell before stabbing him 12 times as he lay defenceless on the ground. They also thrust a knife into the back of one of Russell’s friends as he tried to get away.
“The wickedness and ferocity of the attack, which was captured on CCTV, has shocked even the most seasoned of homicide detectives.
“In court Bilkaner and Quainoo tried to present a very different image. Separated from their co-defendant Kallum Martin, by security officers, they sat there in suits and fresh haircuts trying to persuade the court they were very different people from the ones captured in those appalling CCTV images. However, when Martin was found not guilty, they could hide their violent nature no more; launching a vicious attack on him in the dock, punching, kicking and making vile threats to him.
“In stark comparison, Russell’s family, whilst utterly broken, have remained composed and dignified throughout. Russell would have been incredibly proud of them.”
