Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Saturday 5th April 2025 at 05:45hrs
Three young men have been handed lengthy prison sentences for a brutal broad daylight attack in Dagenham that left an 18-year-old man with life-changing injuries after he was shot and stabbed.
Caleb Wallace, 18, of Beam Avenue, Barking and Dagenham, and Hayat Umar, 18, of Stern Close, Barking and Dagenham, were both sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Thursday, April 3rd.
Both were convicted of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent, and possession of a knife following a trial earlier this year.
Joshua Amoaka, 18, of Cornflower Road, Chelmsford, who was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent, and possession of a knife, received a nine-year prison sentence.
All three teenagers benefited from a reduction of between a third and a half of their sentence due to their age at the time of the horrific attack, which occurred on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024.
The court heard how the then 18-year-old victim was cycling along Whalebone Lane South in Dagenham when Wallace, Umar, and Amoaka ambushed him, jumping out of a vehicle and giving chase.
As the victim desperately tried to escape, he briefly collided with a member of the public and fell from his bicycle. Shocking CCTV footage shown to the jury captured the moment Umar fired a sawn-off shotgun into the victim’s back at point-blank range, before Wallace proceeded to stab him with a machete.
Amoaka was also present at the scene during the vicious assault, which unfolded in full view of horrified passers-by.
Police officers and paramedics rushed to the scene and provided immediate treatment to the victim before he was transported to hospital.
He sustained life-altering injuries, requiring multiple significant surgeries and a prolonged period of recovery in hospital.
Detective Inspector Iain Wallace from the Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, condemned the attack, stating:
“The brutality displayed by Wallace and Umar, while Amoaka stood menacingly by, all in broad daylight and in full view of passers-by is shocking.
“This has been an incredibly distressing time for the victim and his family. Equally, many of those who witnessed such a vicious attack will still be deeply traumatised and concerned about safety in the community.
“I hope these lengthy sentences will give the victim some small sense of closure, and allow those in the community to feel safer knowing that Wallace, Umar and Amoaka are no longer on the streets.”
Following the attack, a determined manhunt was launched. Officers meticulously gathered witness statements and spent countless hours reviewing CCTV footage to piece together the events and track the movements of the attackers after they fled.
Umar and Wallace were apprehended together at an address in Kent on May 10th, 2024.
A subsequent search of the property led to the discovery of key pieces of evidence, including the distinctive red trainers worn by Umar during the incident and the multi-coloured trainers Wallace was seen wearing as he attacked the victim.
A large black machete, matching the one used in the stabbing, was also found hidden under a bed.
Amoaka was arrested a week later, on May 17th, 2024, at an address in Birmingham. During his arrest, officers found a quantity of Class A drugs and a hunting knife.
Crucially, both Wallace and Amoaka discarded their hats at the scene as they chased the victim.
Forensic testing of these hats revealed DNA matches for both individuals, providing further irrefutable evidence of their presence at the crime.
The investigation also uncovered a series of TikTok videos posted by a gang associated with the three convicted men.
In these videos, individuals brazenly claimed responsibility for the attack and mocked the victim, further strengthening the prosecution’s case.
The successful investigation and subsequent convictions have resulted in significant prison sentences for the three young men involved in this shocking act of violence, bringing some measure of justice to the victim and the community.
G2K INCIDENT WATCH 