WoolyO Gang Jailed: Gun-Toting Thugs Caged for 41 Years
Six gang members jailed for 41 years after a major firearms conspiracy investigation by Essex and Metropolitan Police, dismantling the dangerous WoolyO gang.
By Ben Freeman
Six members of a South London gang known as the “WoolyO” crew have been sentenced to a combined total of 41 years and six months’ imprisonment, following a joint operation by Essex Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit and the Metropolitan Police’s Trident Gang Crime Command.
The case concluded on Friday 28 March 2025 at Basildon Crown Court, marking the end of a comprehensive, multi-force investigation into a string of firearms offences, robbery, and gang-related activity spanning several months across London and Essex.
The investigation stemmed from a violent robbery in Aveley, Essex, on the evening of Monday 20 November 2023. Three men had travelled to the area under the pretext of purchasing mobile phones but were instead ambushed and robbed of £4,000 in cash. During the attack, one victim was struck by an assailant wielding a handgun, resulting in the firearm’s loaded magazine falling to the ground.
When Essex officers arrived shortly after, the suspects had fled, but the abandoned magazine was recovered at the scene.
The following morning, during follow-up enquiries, Essex officers encountered Bryan Aidoo, who was loitering in the same area and claimed he was “cleaning his shoes”. He was found to be carrying a zombie knife and was arrested on suspicion of weapons offences.
Aidoo’s seized mobile phone later proved instrumental to the case. It contained extensive footage of the gang handling firearms and making references to gang-related violence, including clips of two separate shootings that had taken place weeks earlier in the Cherry Orchard estate in South London — incidents already under active investigation by the Metropolitan Police Trident Unit.
The first of those incidents, in October 2023, saw two 9mm casings recovered at the scene, though the intended target was never identified. In the second, a male victim sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound to the arm in November. The evidence from Aidoo’s device linked the WoolyO gang to both shootings and to the Aveley robbery, prompting a joint case file between Essex and the Met. A consolidated investigation, with full cooperation from the Crown Prosecution Service, was launched in March 2024.
Detective Inspector Yoni Adler, who led the Essex Police element of the operation, said:
“These convictions are the result of outstanding and committed detective work by both Essex Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit and The Metropolitan Police’s Trident teams, working extremely closely to ensure that all the defendants were traced and charged. Each and every day both forces work hard to target criminals who threaten the safety of our communities and to take them off our streets.”
Arrests of the WoolyO gang members were carried out between December 2023 and May 2024, culminating in charges relating to conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and perverting the course of justice. The trial opened at Basildon Crown Court on Monday 2 December 2024.
On day one of proceedings, four defendants — Bryan Aidoo, Stephen Ayanleye, Roqeeb Ladeaga and Gabriel Adepoju — entered guilty pleas.
Two other gang members — Dafe Orogun, born 5 October 2002, of Edington Road, Abbey Wood, London SE2, and Karan Singh, born 22 February 2005, of Sandy Hill Road, London SE18 — denied the charges and proceeded to trial.
Following an eight-week hearing, they were convicted by a jury on Wednesday 29 January 2025 of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life (between 23 October 2023 and 22 November 2023) and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice (between 19 November 2023 and 15 February 2024).
Dafe Orogun received a sentence of 15 years' imprisonment, while Karan Singh was sentenced to 9 years.
Sentences for the four men who pleaded guilty on the first day of trial were handed down as follows:
Bryan Aidoo, born 24 July 2005, of Whitgift Street, London SE11, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence (23 October 2023 to 22 November 2023) and to possession of a bladed article in a public place on 21 November 2023. He was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment.
Stephen Ayanleye, born 30 January 1996, of Erwood Road, Charlton, London SE7, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence (23 October 2023 to 22 November 2023). He was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Roqeeb Ladeaga, born 12 December 2000, of Westhorne Avenue, London SE9, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence over the same period. He received 4 years and 6 months.
Gabriel Adepoju, born 8 October 2001, of Rommany Road, London SE27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He was sentenced to 4 years.
Detective Inspector Adler further stated:
“The WoolyOs boasted about their criminal activity and came to Essex to commit further crime. They carried firearms and even filmed themselves doing so. They tried to glamourise their lifestyle: but it’s a lifestyle that has caught up with them. These convictions show that carrying guns comes with punishment.
Two of the defendants chose not to admit their guilt and challenged the evidence, making up stories about their involvement. But thanks to the professionalism and expertise of all the officers, and the weight of the evidence, the jury were able to see through those lies, finding them guilty. Guns have no place on our streets, and we will robustly investigate anyone we believe to be carrying them, as in this case.”
All six defendants were convicted on the strength of mobile phone data, forensic recovery of a live magazine, and cross-referencing of video evidence with known incidents of gun violence. Across the eighteen-month operation, dozens of officers from both forces contributed to the coordinated effort, which also involved digital media investigators and firearms specialists.
His Honour Judge Graham, in summing up, issued judge’s commendations to several officers involved in the investigation in recognition of the complex and diligent work that led to the successful disruption of this violent gang.
Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.
