SIX men who tricked their victim into a fake drug deal before robbing him at knife and gunpoint have been jailed for a total of 64 years.

On May 6 they were cleared of attempting to murder Rahul Samma in Draycot Road, Wanstead, but convicted of conspiracy to rob and possession of a firearm with intent.

The jury heard how the men lured the 26-year-old to the quiet residential road under the premise of a drug deal, but when he arrived there just after midnight on March 25 2015, they threatened him with a knife and shotgun.

Despite being trapped inside a car and punched repeatedly, he managed to escape the gang’s clutches and run back to his BMW.

After stealing his £1,300 watch and around £200 cash inside the car, one of the men shot Mr Samma twice as he ran away.

Prosecuting, Catherine Farrelly said: “Mr Samma says he in constant pain as a result of his injuries.

“Doctors say there are still 100 gun pellets left in his eye, face, throat, arm and heart, which constantly cause his skin to split open.

“He has suffered reoccurring nightmares ever since the incident alongside bouts of depression.

“His work life has been badly affected, as he was unable to start the job he had planned before the attack.”

Judge Timothy Pontius agreed with Ms Farrelly, saying: “It is plain that Mr Samma suffered extremely serious physical harm and distressing long-term anxiety.

“This was not a standard mugging or street robbery and the culpability of all six defendants is high.

“They brought a shotgun to the scene, not with the intention of killing their victim, but to scare him into submission.”

Mitigating, the defence argued Mr Samma was a regular drug dealer and had also been convicted of Class A drug offences.

But Mr Pontius said: “I must impose the robbery and firearm sentences consecutively to reflect the growing concern among members of the public about guns being carried on our streets.”

Umar Anwar, 21, of Perrin Place, Chelmsford, David Stockley, 29, of no fixed address, Taylor Scott, 21 of Malvern Road, Leytonstone, Jovaughni Richards, 23, of Melon Road, Leytonstone, Ramone Celaire, 24, of no fixed address and Carl Knight, 33 of The Stow, Harlow were sentenced at the Old Bailey today (Friday May 20).

Umar Anwar was sentenced to nine years in prison, while David Stockley, Carl Knight, and Ramone Celaire were each given 11 years.

Taylor Scott was given a 10-year prison stretch and Jovaughni Richards was given 12 years inside, including one for another robbery that took place before he was arrested in relation to the Wanstead shooting.

Mitigating for Anwar, Ms Melanie Simpson said he had no previous convictions, a promising future ahead of him, and was due to start university in September last year.

She said he suffered considerably when he lost his father to cancer at the age of 14, but had never been violent.

Mr Pontius said: “Reports of his good character make it inexplicable why a man of his intelligence and background would commit such a crime.”

He said Celaire had an “extensive criminal record for one so young” and spent six months in a young offenders’ institution for violent crimes in 2012.

Mr Pontius described Stockley as “a mature man with a formidable record of committing crimes since his early teens”.

Mitigating, Peter Ratliffe explained that despite suffering from ADHD and Post-traumatic stress disorder, he had a stable relationship with his partner and was devoted to his child, but he was given 11 years.

the court heard Knight has been in and out of court since the age of 13 and convicted of a number of burglary and driving offences.

Mitigating for Richards, Simon Pentol explained he had a very troubled upbringing, losing his father to cancer a few days after his 10th birthday, but had managed to get on to a sports coaching course.

He also implored the judge to move him from Belmarsh prison, after he was attacked there last Thursday (May 12) and as a result may never see out of his right eye again.

He was jailed for 12 years, including one for another robbery which took place in Uxbridge before the Wanstead robbery.

In Scott’s defence, Rag Chand said his 10-year sentence was a “great shame” as he had only been in court once before and was doing well as a trainee roofer. before the attack.

Anwar’s 30-year-old sister Anisha, of Broadmead Court, Woodford Green, will be tried for perverting the course of justice on August 15. She denies the charges.