Six jailed over murder of innocent mother gunned down on flat doorstep

Six people have been jailed after an innocent woman was shot dead at point-blank range on the doorstep of a flat.

Joanne Penney, 40, died from a single bullet to the heart in March last year in Talbot Green, South Wales, as part of a dispute over drug dealing.

The killing was linked to a clash of rival gangs - Rico OCG, headed by Joshua Gordon, and another headed by Daniel "Jimmy" Joseph.

Gordon, 27, Renaldo Baptiste, 39, Marcus Huntley, 21, Kristina Ginova, 21, Melissa Quailey-Dashper, 40, and Jordan Mills-Smith, 33, were all convicted of murder and of gang offences.

Judge Mr Justice Fordham said Ms Penney was an "innocent victim of a drugs war... all she did was open her front door," and added the shooting was planned to be "a decisive show of strength" for the organised criminal group.

He explained that the doorstep shooting was plotted by the six as retaliation against Joseph, who had humiliated members of Rico when they were in the Talbot Green area.

Passing sentence, the judge said: "Joanne Penney was an innocent victim in a drug war. All she did was open a front door at a friend's house.

"A future taken away, an entire family shot through the heart when Joanne Penney, the mother, daughter and sister, loved by so many family and friends was so senselessly taken.

"No period of imprisonment can reflect the value of the life that was taken away by murdering her."

After the shooting, the judge noted that Gordon said Ms Penney's death was "a huge problem" for the Rico gang, and that Huntley tried to bury the firearm used, while Quailey-Dashper deleted messages.

"The purpose of the violent attack was to promote your illegal drugs trade, in aid of your criminal enterprise," he told Gordon, and addressing the group, he added: "It was about getting the upper hand."

Baptiste used hidden prison phone to supply gun

The court was told Rico OCG had been based in Leicester, but later branched out into South Wales.

Prosecutors said Huntley and Gordon's plan was to target "someone at the address" and that Ms Penney had not been singled out.

The court was told Quailey-Dashper knocked on the door of the flat - which was linked to drug dealing - while Huntley immediately shot the person who opened the door.

Jurors also heard Baptiste used a hidden phone while in prison to supply the gun that killed Ms Penney in Talbot Green.

Police found Ms Penney in the living room with a single gunshot wound to the chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Her loss has left an irreplaceable gap'

In a tribute released through South Wales Police, Ms Penney's family described her "kindness, strength and love for her family".

"Her loss has left an irreplaceable gap in our family," they added, "and the pain of losing her is something we will carry with us every day.

"Nothing can ever make up for what has been taken from us or bring Joanne back to those who loved her."

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Gang leader Gordon was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 32 years, along with a concurrent sentence of three years and 10 months for gang crimes.

Baptiste was sentenced to life with a minimum of 42 years for the murder and taking part in organised crime, which the judge noted was exacerbated by his previous convictions and his criminal history in prison.

The judge also handed Huntley a sentence of life with a minimum of 30 years and 146 days for the murder, and Mills-Smith was jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years.

Quailey-Dashper and Ginova were both given life sentences, with minimum terms of 14 and 12 years respectively.

Five other defendants, Sai Raj Manne, 26, Molly Cooper, 33, Callum Kelleher, 37, Laura John, 23, and Donna James, 51, are to be sentenced later for offences connected with the murder.

(c) Sky News 2026: Six jailed over murder of innocent mother gunned down on flat doorstep