A former drug dealer who plotted to shoot dead his love rival as he cut a child’s hair in a busy West Norwood barbershop has been jailed for 15 years.
Judge Peter Thornton said Kirk Richards, 35, of Brixton, was driven by “intense jealousy” to ask a group of gunmen to murder his wife’s new lover, Norman Smith, in a “calculated attempt at execution”.
Richards walked into the Magic Touch barbershop in Norwood High Street with three other men, one of whom fired three shots into the chest, arm and back of barber Mr Smith, from point blank range.
Judge Thornton said Richards, who was under a supervision order at the time of the offence after being caught dealing crack and heroine, showed “a reckless disregard for the safety of the other people present”.
Mr Smith, 37, was standing inches from a seven-year-old boy whose hair he was cutting at the time.
At least one bullet ricocheted around the shop as other terrified customers dived for cover.
Judge Thornton, passing sentence at the Old Bailey on Friday, said it was “remarkable” Mr Smith survived.
The court heard how Richards had been in a love triangle involving his wife Jamillah Swaby, of West Norwood, and Mr Smith.
Jacqueline Lule, defending, said Ms Swaby, the mother of Richards’ two children, was “playing the two of them at the same time”.
Richards had spent the night at Ms Swaby’s home the day before the shooting, and is said to have been incensed by Mr Smith’s involvement with his wife and family.
He had found out about their relationship just weeks before he attempted to murder him, and an argument had flared between the two men outside the barbershop just hours before.
After the argument, Richards organised the group of gunmen - whose identities are not known to police - to go to the shop in a taxi and murder him, the court heard.
Richards was arrested days later after Mr Smith, who has now made a full recovery, identified him as one of his attackers.
He was found guilty by a jury on May 14 attempted murder, but cleared of possession of a firearm to endanger life.
He will have to serve his entire sentence before being considered for parole, and will remain on license for life.
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