Sheffield men gearing up for life behind bars over 'cold blooded murder'

The trio were convicted of the murder of 23-year-old Aseel Al-Essaie earlier this month and are to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday.

COURT: Sheffield killer loses appeal bid over 'cold blooded execution'Matthew Cohen, aged 29, Dale Gordon, 33 and Keil Bryan, 32, were found guilty on a 'joint enterprise' basis after Aseel was was gunned down in his car in February last year.

POLICE: Man arrested over stabbing in Sheffield houseHe was rushed to hospital but could not be saved after a bullet penetrated his lung, heart and abdomen.

Jurors heard that the shooting was the result of rising tensions between Cohen and the Al-Essaie family.

Cohen, of Clough Wood Road, Oughtibridge, had previously slashed Aseel's brother, Saleh, across the face with a pair of scissors, jurors were told during the seven-week trial.

The prosecution case against the three men is that Gordon, of Benty Lane, Crosspool, Sheffield, pulled the trigger but all those involved in the drive-by shooting were jointly responsible.

During the trial, Cohen admitted to driving the car from which the gun was fired but refused to say who the killer was.

Bryan, of Brackley Street, Burngreave, was a rear seat passenger in the car at the time.

All three men are set to receive mandatory life sentences for the killing but will have individual tariffs set on Friday, when the judge will decide the minimum number of years the men must spend behind bars before they can be considered for parole.

Cohen, alongside James Good, 30, of Ringstead Crescent, Crosspool, is also to be sentenced for perverting the course of justice over the burning of the car used in the drive-by shooting.

Catherine Ainsworth, of the Crown Prosecution Service, described the shooting as 'cold-blooded murder'.