Hackney Teen Jailed for 29 Years After Shooting Mother Protecting Her Kids
17-Year-Old Gangster’s Ruthless Attack
A 17-year-old gang member, Joshua Alexander, has been locked up for 29 years for the cold-blooded murder of 42-year-old mum Lianne Gordon. The tragic shooting happened on December 5, 2023, when Alexander blasted through her front door in Hackney while she shielded her children during a gang feud.
Alexander, a member of the notorious Pempury gang, was banned from the area after previous violent crimes but brazenly returned armed and fired at Lianne’s home on Vine Close. Her children were inside. One daughter ran outside screaming, alerting neighbours. Lianne was rushed to hospital but sadly died from her injuries.
Callous Killer Shows No Regret
During the trial, the court heard how Alexander boasted about the attack in rap lyrics penned while behind bars, bragging, “Vine Close is looking all messy.” Judge David Aubrey KC slammed it as “a determined mission to execute members of a rival gang,” with Lianne tragically caught in the crossfire.
Alexander showed not a shred of remorse for brutally ending the life of a mother protecting her family.
Family Left Devastated
Lianne’s passing has rocked her family to the core. Her mother, Ella Leatham, sobbed in a victim impact statement, demanding the harshest punishment. “There is no justice that can bring my daughter back,” she said.
Lianne’s twin sister, Louise, called her “a force of nature” and described the loss as an unbearable hole in their lives. “This gun crime has ripped a hole in my family,” she told the court. “Most days, I feel underwater.”
Justice Served – But Community Still Hurts
Judge Aubrey handed down a 29-year sentence, stressing Alexander must serve at least two-thirds before release, despite his youth. Family members in court expressed relief, some shouting, “Rot in hell.”
The brutal murder has sparked outrage across Hackney with calls for tougher action on gangs and gun crime. Community leaders warn this case is a grim reminder of the deadly violence tearing London’s streets apart.
Lianne Gordon’s family hope her tragic death becomes a wake-up call to tackle the root causes and keep other families from suffering the same fate.
