Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ben Turner & Matthew Dresch & Neil Docking

Heartless killers chew gum as they get life for gunning down teen in drive-by

Two heartless killers casually chewed gum as they were jailed for life for shooting a 17-year-old boy in the head.

Dylan Westall and Michael Roberts, 29 and 25, both from Merseyside, showed no emotion when they were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday.

James Meadows, 17, was riding pillion on a motorbike with a 14-year-old pal when he was gunned down by the pair, who drove past him in a stolen Mercedes.

James was killed after a dispute with Westall and Roberts 'spiralled out of control', the Liverpool Echo reports.

The pair opened fire on him while driving in the opposite direction on Lyme Cross Road, at 9.30pm on Sunday, October 8, 2017.

Michael Roberts was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 12 years (Liverpool Echo)

Westall, 29, and Roberts, 25, denied murder and conspiring to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, in a seven-week retrial.

They were both cleared of murder, but unanimously found guilty of manslaughter and the gun plot, after around 21 hours of deliberation.

The verdicts can only now be revealed because reporting restrictions have been lifted after their sentencing.

Westall's partner Samantha McDermott, was sentenced to 17 months in prison (Liverpool Echo)

Westall, of no fixed address, but from Whiston, and Roberts, of Woolfall Crescent, Huyton, were sentenced alongside Westall's girlfriend Samantha McDermott.

McDermott, 31, of Rudgate, Whiston, admitted perverting the course of justice by ditching her mobile phone, which could have contained evidence of the killings.

Judge Andrew Menary said she knew Westall was somehow involved in the killing of a 17-year-old boy.

Lyme Cross Road was cordoned off after the shooting (Liverpool Echo)

Westall was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years for manslaughter and the gun conspiracy.

There are concurrent sentences of 14 years for his false imprisonment and GBH with intent.

Roberts was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 12 years. Both men chewed gum and showed no emotion as they were jailed.

McDermott was jailed for 17 months. Again she showed no emotion.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.