A PROFESSIONAL footballer from Kenton who shot dead a gang rival in Brent has been jailed for life.

Gavin Grant, 26, gunned down former friend Leon Labastide outside his mother's house on the Stonebridge Estate in May 2004.

Grant, of Shrewsbury Avenue, continued his promising football career after the shooting, playing for Millwall, Gillingham, and as recently as May turning out for Bradford City.

But a jury at the Old Bailey decided last week Grant and Birmingham resident Gareth Downie, 25, had been contracted to carry out the killing in revenge for an earlier burglary alleged to have been orchestrated by Mr Labastide.

A third man, Damien Williams, 33, of Bermondsey, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder having arranged for Grant and Downie to lie in wait for the victim and shoot him dead.

The trio were all jailed for life, and were told by Judge Peter Beaumont they must serve at least 25 years behind bars.

The killing is believed to have come after a break-in the previous day.

A man had been taken to hospital following a motorbike accident close to Mr Labastide's home, and the 21-year-old was thought by some to have organised an armed raid of the injured man's home.

During the raid, three young girls were injured jumping from a first-floor window to escape the burglars, and police investigations discovered Mr Labastide's killing was likely a retaliation for the burglary.

The fatal shooting sparked an outbreak of violence largely on the Stonebridge Estate which left several people in hospital with gunshot wounds.

Three years ago, Grant was tried and cleared of the 2005 murder of 22-year-old Jahmall Moore, and he was put on trial over the murder of Mr Labastide last year.

The jury in that trial failed to reached a verdict, and a retrial was ordered - ultimately leading to today's life sentences.

Detective Inspector Steve Horsley, of the Met's Trident squad, said: "The murder was the result of a feud between people who were once close friends. The family of Leon have been left devastated by their loss.

“Today's conviction is the result of six years of hard work and determination by Trident officers to get justice for his family, and to make it clear to the community that, by working together, we can put a stop to this unacceptable violence.”