From top left: Leonard Ward, Jerome Sheard, Carla McGuire and Michael McGuire (from bottom left) Paula Usherwood, Benjamin Taylor, Joseph Boscombe, Michael Mingoes and Joshua Agboola
Nine people have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a man who was stabbed in a case of mistaken identity.
Michael Anton O’Connor was attacked outside a property in Wilford Crescent West, The Meadows, Nottingham, shortly after 22:20 GMT on 10 November 2021.
The 31-year-old was found collapsed on the pavement and died in hospital.
Those responsible for his death have been sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court throughout the week.
Nottinghamshire Police said Mr O’Connor, who was also known as Anton, was stabbed to death in a pre-planned ambush by hired hit men.
The killing was over a row between rival drug gangs but Mr O’Connor was not the main target.
He was stabbed after being sent to broker a deal between the feuding gangs.
Image source, Nottinghamshire Police
Police said Mr O’Connor was ambushed by a number of masked men
Following a trial, nine defendants were found guilty of his murder on 12 June.
They have all since been sentenced.
- Michael McGuire, 35, of Bridgeway Centre, Nottingham, was sentenced to a minimum of 32 years
- Paula Usherwood, 39, of Central Avenue, New Basford, Nottingham, was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years
- Jerome Sheard, 31, of Wilford Crescent West, Nottingham, was sentenced to a minimum of 31 years
- Michael Mingoes, 21, of Powell Street, Manchester, was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years
- Carla McGuire, 53, of Wilford Crescent West, Nottingham, was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years
- Joshua Agboola, 30, of Leven Grove, Darwen, Blackburn, was sentenced to a minimum of 31 years
- Joseph Boscombe, 41, of Rostherne Avenue, Manchester, was sentenced to a minimum of 32 years
- Leonard Ward, 42, of Marwood Road, Carlton, Nottingham, was sentenced to a minimum of 32 years
- Benjamin Taylor, 38, of Annesley Court, Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester, was sentenced to a minimum of 32 years
Police said Ward was the head of The Meadows-based gang that ordered the killing.
Mother and son Carla and Michael McGuire were linked to the group and lived next to where Mr O’Connor was murdered.
She was accused of turning off CCTV at her property just before the attack was carried out.
Sheard, who is also her son, was Ward’s right-hand man.
Image source, Nottinghamshire Police
Mr O’Connor was attacked outside a property in Wilford Crescent West
Police said Taylor sent a team of dealers from Manchester to Nottingham to carry out the murder.
Boscombe was part of the team along with Agboola and Mingoes.
Mingoes was believed to have dealt the fatal blow.
Usherwood’s role was setting up the ambush by meeting the intended target on the morning of the murder.
‘Cowardly’
Police said it was “a hugely complex investigation” which saw 23 people arrested.
Officers viewed 786 hours of footage from 212 CCTV cameras.
Det Ch Insp Rob Routledge, who led the investigation for Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Anton was asked to act as a peacemaker between two feuding groups – and it cost him his life.
“He was ambushed by a number of masked up men who were heavily armed.
“Anton was unarmed and his killing was therefore cowardly in the extreme.”
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