A street gangster nicknamed Billy the Kid died in a hail of bullets during a revenge ride-out which ended in “crushing defeat”, a court has heard.
Billy McCullagh, 27, suffered two shots in the back and died in a street in north-west London in the early hours of July 16 2020, jurors heard.
Three men, all associated with the victim, are on trial for his murder at the Old Bailey.
For anyone to die in such a manner is always shocking, but for Billy McCullagh to lose his life with two bullets in his back came as less of a surprise, since Billy McCullagh was a member of a violent street gang and the street where he was shot and killed was the territory of his sworn rivals
On Thursday, prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC said Mr McCullagh was known to his friends as Billy the Kid, which “given the way he was to lose his life is tragically prophetic”.
Opening the case, he told jurors: “For anyone to die in such a manner is always shocking, but for Billy McCullagh to lose his life with two bullets in his back came as less of a surprise, since Billy McCullagh was a member of a violent street gang and the street where he was shot and killed was the territory of his sworn rivals.”
The victim was caught in an exchange of gunfire having travelled there in a stolen vehicle with friends armed with at least two guns, the court was told.
Mr Glasgow said the plan was to launch a “surprise attack” on the opposition in response for the fatal stabbing of a friend the day before.
“Rather than catching the rival gang unaware, unprotected and unarmed, Billy McCullagh and his friends found themselves in a gun fight,” he said.
Bullets “flew in all directions” with at least eight 9mm rounds shot at the stolen Land Rover containing Mr McCullagh and defendants Issa Seed, Adel Yussuf and Daniel Mensah, it was alleged.
Four bullets hit the vehicle, two rounds went into Mr McCullagh’s back, and one struck Seed in the leg, the court heard.
Mr Glasgow said the planned “vengeful sortie” ended in “crushing defeat” with Mr McCullagh being abandoned to die on the street of the rivals.
Afterwards, the car was burnt out, Seed was taken to hospital and the guns hidden, jurors heard.
Mr Glasgow suggested the fact of the victim’s friends landing in court accused of his murder was cause for further “upset” among their ranks.
The court heard how police pieced together events with a combination of phones, CCTV and forensic evidence.
But the investigation had not established who in the opposing side had fired the shots that killed Mr McCullagh and injured Seed.
Seed, 25, of no fixed address, Yussuf, 25, and Mensah, 30, of north west London, deny murder.
They also deny conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, possessing a firearm and imitation firearm with intent.
Leeban Farah, 26, of north west London, denies perverting the course of justice.
George Orji, 31, from north west London, denies possessing a firearm and imitation firearm with intent.
Anu Adelaja, 29, from Brent, denies possessing a prohibited firearm.
The trial at the Old Bailey continues.
