Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem are in prison because they were convicted of murdering Michelle Sadio, an innocent mother of two who was shot dead outside a church in north London while attending a wake in December 2024. Both men were found guilty at the Old Bailey on 23 April 2026 and remanded into custody ahead of sentencing in June 2026.
Who Are Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem?
Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, and Amir Salem, 20, are both from Wembley in north London. The two men were connected through gang networks in north-west London and were convicted of working together to carry out the shooting that killed Michelle Sadio on 14 December 2024. Allen-Thomas was the elder of the two and, according to prosecutors, played an organising role in the attack. Salem, the younger defendant, was the one in direct contact with the men in the vehicle used to carry out the shooting.
Neither man was alleged to have been the actual gunman, but the prosecution argued successfully that both were integral participants in a joint enterprise to commit murder, making them equally culpable in law for the death of Michelle Sadio and the attempted murders of two other people who were also struck in the shooting.
Who Was Michelle Sadio?
Michelle Sadio was a 44-year-old mother of two young children. She was not connected to the gang dispute that led to the shooting and had no involvement in any criminal activity. On the evening of 14 December 2024 she was among approximately 100 mourners gathered outside the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Gifford Road, Willesden, north London, to attend the wake of 80-year-old Dianne Boatong. Michelle was there to pay her respects when the attack happened. She leaves behind two young children and a community that described her as a valued and beloved member.
The Drive-By Shooting
At around 9.15pm on 14 December 2024, guests at the wake were gathered on the pavement outside the church when a black Kia Niro car, which had been stolen and fitted with false number plates, drove up and opened fire into the crowd. Michelle Sadio was struck and fell outside the church. Despite the efforts of paramedics from the London Ambulance Service, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two other men attending the wake were also injured in the attack. The Metropolitan Police established that the shooting was not random — it was the result of a feud between two rival gangs in north-west London. Michelle Sadio and the other victims were innocent bystanders caught in the violence. After the attack the Kia was doused in petrol and set alight in an attempt to destroy forensic evidence. Despite this, investigators were able to piece together the roles played by Allen-Thomas and Salem through digital evidence, CCTV footage, and communications between the defendants and the occupants of the vehicle.
The Trial and Verdicts
The trial took place at the Old Bailey in London. Jurors heard that Perry Allen-Thomas had helped organise the shooting but had deliberately ensured he was elsewhere at the time it was carried out, providing himself with an alibi. On the night, Amir Salem was in contact with the men inside the Kia, tracking the attack and reporting back to Allen-Thomas in real time. Salem had also helped purchase some of the petrol used to set the car alight after the shooting.
On 23 April 2026, following a thorough examination of the evidence, the jury convicted both men of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Mrs Justice McGowan remanded both defendants into custody immediately following the verdicts. The case was prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police with support from the Crown Prosecution Service.
Sentencing and What Happens Next
Sentencing has been scheduled for 19 June 2026 at the Old Bailey before Mrs Justice McGowan. Both men face mandatory life sentences for the murder of Michelle Sadio, as murder carries an automatic life sentence in England and Wales. The judge will set a minimum term — the number of years each man must serve before they are eligible to be considered for release on licence by the Parole Board.
Given the aggravating factors — including the use of a firearm, the targeting of a public gathering, the presence of innocent bystanders, the deliberate destruction of evidence, and the joint enterprise nature of the offending — legal observers expect significant minimum terms. Murder convictions involving firearms typically attract higher minimum terms in England and Wales. Both men will remain in custody until the sentencing hearing. For guidance on how to book a prison visit or send money to a prisoner, this site provides practical information for families.
Gang Violence and Innocent Victims
The killing of Michelle Sadio drew widespread condemnation because she was entirely uninvolved in the gang dispute that led to the shooting. Her death at a church wake underlined the devastating impact that gang violence can have on innocent members of the community. The Metropolitan Police has stated that the shooting was connected to a feud between two gangs operating in the Wembley and Willesden areas of north-west London.
Cases like this, in which innocent people are killed or seriously injured in gang-related violence, are handled as the most serious category of homicide by the Crown Prosecution Service. Joint enterprise prosecutions — where individuals who did not personally pull the trigger are convicted of murder — are well established in English law and have been used effectively in a number of high-profile gang shooting cases in recent years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem in prison?
Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem are in prison because they were convicted of murdering Michelle Sadio, an innocent mother of two, who was shot dead during a drive-by shooting outside a church in Willesden, north London, on 14 December 2024. Both were found guilty at the Old Bailey on 23 April 2026.
Who was Michelle Sadio?
Michelle Sadio was a 44-year-old mother of two children who was attending a funeral wake at the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Gifford Road, Willesden, when she was shot and killed. She had no involvement in the gang dispute that led to the shooting and was an entirely innocent victim.
What sentences will Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem receive?
Both men face mandatory life sentences for murder, which is automatic in England and Wales. The judge will set a minimum term at the sentencing hearing on 19 June 2026 at the Old Bailey. They will not be eligible for release until they have served that minimum term and satisfied the Parole Board they no longer pose a danger to the public.
Did Perry Allen-Thomas or Amir Salem carry out the shooting themselves?
Neither man was alleged to be the gunman who fired the shots. The prosecution argued successfully that both were guilty of murder under the joint enterprise doctrine. Allen-Thomas organised the attack while ensuring he was elsewhere, and Salem was in contact with the men in the car and helped acquire petrol to destroy the vehicle used in the shooting.
What was the motive for the shooting?
The shooting was connected to a feud between two rival gangs in north-west London. Michelle Sadio and the other people injured in the attack were innocent bystanders who were not involved in the dispute. The Kia Niro used in the attack was stolen and fitted with false number plates to conceal its identity.
