Sheffield trio jailed for 90 years for murdering Aseel Al-Essaie in daylight drive-by shooting

Cohen, Gordon and Bryan were jailed for a combined total of 90 years, after being sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court today

Three Sheffield men found guilty of killing a man in a daylight drive-by shooting were sentenced to a total of 90 years in prison, just a few moments ago.

The court was silent as Judge Stephen Males sent Matthew Cohen, Dale Gordon and Keil Bryan down for murdering 23-year-old Aseel Al-Essaie on February 18 last year.

They were found unanimously guilty of his murder earlier this month, following a seven week trial.

Each of the men were required to receive a mandatory 'life' sentence for the murder, but the individual minimum tariffs were set by Judge Males today.

Aseel Al-Essaie was shot dead in broad daylight in Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe on February 18 last year

Their sentences are as follows:

- Cohen, 29, of Clough View Road, Oughtibridge was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years

- Gordon, 33, of Benty Lane, Crosspool was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years

- Bryan, 32, of Brackley Street, Burngreave was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 30 years

Sentencing the trio, who were found unanimously guilty earlier this month, to life in prison, Judge Males said: "He was a young man, only 22, who did not deserve to be shot down in cold blood. It is particularly unhappy that this happened on what should have been a joyful day for his family, the day of his sister's engagement."

James Good, 30, of Ringstead Crescent, Crosspool destroyed the murder vehicle, after Cohen asked him to dispose of it.

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Good pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice during the course of the trial and was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.

Cohen, Bryan and Gordon were found to have killed Mr Al-Essaie as part of a 'joint-enterprise,' which took the form of a drive-by shooting using Cohen's VW Golf vehicle.

The court heard how Mr Al-Essaie was shot at point-blank range as he sat alone in a stationary white Mercedes on Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe.

It is unclear who fired the fatal shot, which did not need to be proven in order to return a guilty verdict, but Cohen is believed to have been the driver.

In the months leading up to the murder, Cohen slashed Mr Al-Essaie's brother, Saleh, in the face with some scissors following an argument about the drug dealing Saleh was doing for Cohen.