South London men jailed after Tyler McDermott shot dead

Tyler McDermott died on April 14 last year, the day after he was shot in the head then stabbed with a machete while he was on the floor outside the studio in Norman Road, Tottenham.

A court heard tensions had risen in the music studio earlier that day when one of the defendants became upset at being filmed.

As Tyler and a friend left the studio early in the morning Tyrese Barnett shot Tyler and Leo Reid struck him with a large machete when he was already lying on the floor with gunshot injuries. Barnett fired a second shot aiming at Tyler’s friend but missed.

On Thursday (November 14) Barnett, 20, of Moyers Road, Newham, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 30 years for murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Leo Reid, 21, of Tulse Hill, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years for murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Two other men – Rhys Antwi and Kalam Bagge – were also convicted of murder after a jury concluded they assisted and/or encouraged the fatal attack.

Footage showed Bagge was in possession of a knife inside the studio just before the murder whilst Antwi was seen arming himself with a sword just before the shooting.

Antwi, 20, of Prentis Road, Streatham, was jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years for murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Kalam Bagge, 19, of Nimrod Road, Tooting, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 13 years for murder.

Detective Inspector Devan Taylor, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “My thoughts remain with Tyler’s family who have remained dignified throughout this lengthy process.

“I commend them for the way they have carried themselves during these extremely difficult few months. I know they are absolutely devastated to have lost him in such tragic circumstances.

“Nothing will bring Tyler back but I hope the sentences handed down to these individuals will help provide his friends and family with some form of closure. No family should ever have to suffer the loss of a loved one.

“An innocent young life was lost in such a cold and senseless way. These young men had a choice that night and – for reasons only known to them – they chose to resort to violence.”