Nine members of city gang banned from Willenhall...

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Nine gang members have been banned from part of Coventry after being accused of leading a campaign of violence and intimidation.



The Gridlock Crew have been linked to arson attacks, drug dealing and burglary – while some members have even forced people into using their homes as cannabis factories.

Witnesses to the crimes are often too afraid to give evidence because they fear reprisal attacks.

Gang members have been spotted carrying knives and police say some are known to have access to guns. Now nine men, aged 20 to 30, have been handed interim anti-social behaviour orders banning them from entering the Willenhall area.

It is the first time simultaneous orders have been obtained against gang members in Coventry.

It means they are banned from associating with each other and being in a group of three or more people in a public place.

The men are also not allowed to wear clothing that covers their faces anywhere in the Coventry area.

Coventry police commander, Chief Superintendent Andy Nicholson, who chairs the city’s Community Safety Partnership, said: “The introduction of these interim orders is very positive for the communities of Willenhall who have been seriously affected by the activities of these individuals. People have the right to go about their daily lives in a safe and welcoming environment.

“Using interventions such as ASBOs are one of a number of tactics and powers that we’re using together with our partners to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour in Coventry.

"We will continue to take action against those who persist in behaving in a way that causes distress and intimidation to others.”

He said leaflets would be delivered to homes in the neighbourhood to tell people about the orders, adding: “Breaking any terms imposed by an ASBO is a very serious offence and we would urge communities to please work with us and report any breaches to us.”

After the nine men appeared in court, some took to Facebook to plead their innocence.

One, Lorenzo Angus, described as a “senior and prolific member of the Gridlock Crew”, said the police were trying to ruin his life and denied he was a member of a gang.

He did upload an image of the area he’s banned from which includes the words “yes I’m griddy aka fatal blockz but it’s not a gang it’s a family”.

Another, Ricci Walker, is believed by police to be the leader of the Gridlock Crew.

He uploaded some of the allegations against him – including claims he has access to firearms, drugs and money – to Facebook.

Walker’s street name is Murk which is slang for murder.

He denied he was a gang member on Facebook saying “ant in no gang no more so get of my **** u fish”.

The interim ASBO came too late for Phelando Angus, another gang member who was jailed for burglary earlier this month.

He broke into a house in Willenhall on April 17 but was arrested by police 10 minutes later. He was jailed for 16 months on May 10.

Martin and both Angus brothers are banned completely from Willenhall, and police say Watkins is currently on remand in prison. The other five have been given agreed routes they can use to get to their homes.

The interim ASBOs run until November, but all nine are due back in court in July when an application for full anti-social behaviour orders will be heard.

The nine police have taken action against are: Levi Tobias Pollard-Merson, 20, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall; Curtis Watkins, 26, of Yarningale Road, Willenhall; Marlon Martin, 22, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Brandon Dacres, 20, of St James Lane, Willenhall; Everard Chambers, 29, of Wroxall Drive, Willenhall; Jordan Bassett, 19, of James Croft, Willenhall; Phelando Angus, 30, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Lorenzo Angus, 28, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Ricci Walker, 24, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall.

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I wouldn't mind so much but this is just moving the problem from one part of town to another

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Gridlock Crew used violence and intimidation to rule Willenhall area

A gang used violence and intimidation to rule part of Coventry, a court has heard.

It is alleged that members of the Gridlock Crew have been involved in “serious criminality” in the Willenhall area for some time – with residents too scared to speak out against them.

Whitefriars Housing is applying for anti-social behaviour orders to be applied to nine men who are all accused of being gang members.

The men deny that the group is a gang and say they are not involved in criminal behaviour.

At the start of the ASBO application hearing at Coventry Magistrates Court police officers said they regularly spoke to concerned Willenhall residents at tenants meetings.

Sgt Tony Ashton, from Coventry Police, said: “These people did not want to make a formal complaint at the time...and at that time no statements were taken.

“People were afraid of the ramifications of speaking out.”

Another police witness, Sgt David Williams, said a number of conversations were had with residents “off the record”.

He also dismissed suggestions that anti-social behaviour had been reduced in Willenhall - despite statistics being presented that showed a small reduction.

Sgt Williams said: “We’re in a position where Finham and Earlsdon may well be the worst areas because residents there are confident enough to report it.”

Under questioning from lawyers for the nine respondents each police witness said no records of residents’s complaints had been presented to the hearing.

David Kearns, a professional witness appearing on behalf of Whitefriars, blamed the Gridlock Crew for the state of Willenhall.

He alleged that many of the prospective tenants who turned down tenancies in Willenhall did so because of the effect of the Gridlock Crew.

He said: “The reason it’s an undesirable place to live is because of this fear of violence and intimidation.”

Andris Skudra, for one of the respondents, suggested that the Gridlock Crew were the “bogeymen” of Willenhall and were blamed for every incident of anti-social behaviour.

Mr Kearns responded: “They’re running the manor - running the turf - as opposed to just being bogeymen.”

He also alleged that the group had taken over the houses of some Whitefriars tenants to set up cannabis factories.

The anti-social behaviour application is being opposed.

The nine who appeared in court are: Levi Tobias Pollard-Merson, 20, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall; Curtis Watkins, 26, of Yarningale Road, Willenhall; Marlon Martin, 22, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Brandon Dacres, 20, of St James Lane, Willenhall; Everard Chambers, 29, of Wroxall Drive, Willenhall; Jordan Bassett, 19, of James Croft, Willenhall; Phelando Angus, 30, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Lorenzo Angus, 29, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Ricci Walker, 24, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall.

The hearing is expected to last for the remainder of this week.

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Court throws out ASBO bid to ban alleged Gridlock Crew members

An application to ban eight alleged gang members from part of Coventry has been thrown out.

Coventry’s community safety partnership had asked for anti-social behaviour orders to be granted against alleged members of Willenhall group the Gridlock Crew.

But yesterday, on the third day of an ASBO hearing at Coventry Magistrates Court, barristers for the respondents asked for the application to be thrown out because of a lack of evidence.

Their request was approved for eight of the respondents. Now only one could be given an ASBO when the case concludes.

The application to dismiss the application was made at the end of the prosecution’s case.

The eight who had their cases dismissed are: Levi Tobias Pollard-Merson, 20, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall; Curtis Watkins, 26, of Yarningale Road, Willenhall; Marlon Martin, 22, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Brandon Dacres, 20, of St James Lane, Willenhall; Everard Chambers, 29, of Wroxall Drive, Willenhall; Jordan Bassett, 19, of James Croft, Willenhall; ; Lorenzo Angus, 29, of Northey Road, Foleshill; Ricci Walker, 24, of Tarquin Close, Willenhall.

Earlier in yesterday’s proceedings Coventry Police had come under fire from barristers for not providing witness statements to back up claims that the respondents were involved in crime.

Officers had linked the Gridlock Crew to drug dealing, robberies, burglaries and even a murder - but alleged gang members were rarely spoken to, let alone arrested.

The nine respondents had always denied being in a gang or being responsible for criminal activity.

Amy Jackson, representing Curtis Watkins, outlined a number of offences her client was linked to - but never charged with.

She said: “In August 2012 it’s claimed that he was dealing drugs in the New Tiger Moth and Standard Bearer pubs in Ernesford Grange.

“He wasn’t arrested or spoken to. His property wasn’t searched and he has no drug dealing or drug possession convictions.”

Intelligence reports also suggested that Mr Watkins, aged 26, was accused of throwing a petrol bomb at police during the Cheylesmore riots in 2011 - but once again he wasn’t spoken to or arrested.

Police did speak to Mr Watkins when he - or possibly a friend - was overheard threatening to “stab every African in the community” after a teenager was run over and killed by a woman outside his home in 2011.

Miss Jackson added: “When officers visited he was said to assure them there was no issue as far as he was concerned. It was thought that he was very pleasant.”

Cross-examining Pc Stephen Jeffrey, who has been giving evidence, Miss Jackson asked: “Why do we not have the police log in relation to this incident? In the intelligence log it’s quite clear that this was overheard by an officer.”

The hearing had previously been told that one of the possible reasons that so few convictions had been secured against the Gridlock Crew was because people in Willenhall are living in fear of them.

The hearing – now with just a single respondent, Phelando Angus, 30, of Northey Road, Foleshill – is expected to continue today.