Two Convicted Of Prison 'Execution'

Two men have been found guilty of shooting a man in a execution style killing at Wandsworth prison.

The murder occurred in the front car park outside HMP Wandsworth on Friday 1 May 2009, when the victim was attending the prison as a visitor.

Darcy Austin-Bruce, 20, from Fulham, was shot multiple times in the torso and despite efforts by medical staff from the prison, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, the court heard how Darcy, and two other friends, were being escorted across the car park from the visitor's centre to the prison when a man in a suit appeared.

The man was not noticed by the group but produced a hand gun and shot Darcy in the back.

Darcy turned around to face his killer, who continued to shoot him in the chest. He was shot a total of six times at close range. As he collapsed to the ground the gun-man ran off to a nearby moped where a getaway driver, also dressed in a suit.

The murder was committed in front of a number of people including women and children all visiting the prison. Nurses and doctors from the prison rushed to Darcy's assistance but sadly were unable to save him as his injuries were too severe.

Leon De St Aubin, 34 a fireman, of Curran House, Lucan Place, Chelsea, and Rupert Ross, 30 of 28 Vera Road, Fulham, were both found guilty of murder.

Ross and De St Aubin had previously been good friends with Darcy but their relationship disintegrated to a murderous resentment. A few days before the murder Darcy and another youth had shot at a car being driven by De St Aubin.

According to police, a man known to Ross and St Aubin was serving time at HMP Wandsworth and came to hear of Darcy's intended visit to another inmate. He used a contraband mobile phone to call Ross and De St Aubin to inform them of the visit, and this is when they hatched a plan to kill Darcy as he visited the prison.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Brian Lucas of Trident said: "These men were living violent and criminal lives to the extent that they believed that they could get away with killing a man in broad daylight as revenge for a petty argument. I believe that they had lost sight of reality and now face the consequences of their sad and violent choices.

Ross and De St Aubin are remanded in custody pending sentencing on Thursday 10 November at 10am.

(DW)