A SHOPOWNER was nearly killed just because he held another man’s child, a court heard.
James Bryant, 24, was shot twice in the chest in front of his mother in Woodford Green in November last year.
Two men are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of conspiring to murder the young businessman, who used to co-own Cakes & Shakes milkshake parlour in High Road.
Romaine Arthur, 23, of Hazel Way in Chingford, conspired to kill Bryant with co-defendant Temidire Owolabi, 21, of Brandon Close in Grays, Essex, the jury heard.
Arthur later tried to bribe Bryant with £20,000 to say the shooter was not Owolabi, it was also alleged, but the offer was rejected.
The court heard Arthur was so incensed that Bryant had held his baby boy during a trip to Westfield Stratford City and that he hired Owolabi to kill him.
Bryant visited the shopping centre that day with friends including Arthur’s former partner, Sade Lasisi, who brought along Arthur’s two-year-old son Romaine Junior.
Bryant was spotted carrying Romaine Junior by two of Arthur’s friends, who immediately phoned the accused, it was alleged.
Richard Horwell, prosecuting, said Owolabi was hired by Arthur that evening to fire a ‘warning shot’ at Cakes & Shakes in High Road, which smashed the front window.
But Mr Bryant was said not to be intimidated and responded on Facebook by writing: "You’re popping but no-one’s dropping so you ain’t shooting right."
Mr Horwell added: "This was a severe provocation to Arthur, this was a humiliation. Over the next 40 hours or so Arthur planned his retaliation." This, he continued, was to murder Bryant.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of a hooded gunman open the shop door and shoot Mr Bryant twice in the chest before running off, at about 2pm on November 14.
The prosecution alleged the gunman was Owolabi, claiming telephone signal evidence and fingerprints left on the shop door tie him to the crime.
"Rarely has the value of a human life been set lower than that of James Bryant," Mr Horwell said. Owolabi and Arthur both deny conspiracy to murder. Arthur denies two counts of intent to pervert the course of public justice.
Owolabi also denies two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and one count of attempted murder.
Owolabi has said he was at a friend’s house playing video games on the day of the shooting.
The trial continues.
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