Javon Riley, who was jailed for organising a shooting that left a nine-year-old girl with life-changing injuries in Dalston, east London, has been ordered to pay her £9,115 in compensation. The order was made at the Old Bailey on 12 October 2026 after Metropolitan Police investigators traced money linked to Riley’s criminal activities. Police announced the outcome on 21 October, describing the confiscation process as the first of its kind for the force.
Criminal Assets Used to Compensate Victim
The compensation order follows a financial investigation conducted alongside the Metropolitan Police’s inquiry into the shooting.
Officers recovered thousands of pounds in cash during a search of Riley’s address and established that the money had been generated through his involvement in serious and organised crime.
The investigation resulted in an order requiring Riley to pay £9,115 to the young victim, whose injuries have permanently affected her life.
Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway, who led the investigation, said the confiscation process demonstrated the force’s determination to prevent criminals from retaining the proceeds of their activities.
He acknowledged that “no amount of money can undo the devastating impact this shooting has had” on the girl and her family.
The Metropolitan Police described its method of securing the confiscation as unprecedented for the force.
However, this does not mean it was the first criminal compensation order made in the UK. The distinction relates to the process used by the Met to pursue and recover Riley’s assets.
The police announcement confirms that compensation has been ordered but does not establish whether the money has already been transferred to the family.
Girl Shot While Eating Ice Cream With Family
The shooting took place at approximately 9.19pm on 29 May 2024 outside the Evin restaurant on Kingsland High Street in Dalston.
The girl, then aged nine, was inside the restaurant eating ice cream with members of her family when a gunman arrived on a stolen Ducati Monster motorcycle.
Six shots were fired. Three men sitting outside the restaurant were struck. Another bullet entered the building and hit the child in the head.
All four victims required emergency hospital treatment.
The girl was not an intended target. The attack was directed at men associated with a rival organised crime group.
According to the judge’s published sentencing remarks, the shooting formed part of a long-running feud involving groups known as the Tottenham Turks and Hackney Turks.
Mother Describes Life-Changing Injuries
The child’s family have previously spoken publicly about the consequences of the shooting.
In a statement released following Riley’s conviction in August 2025, her mother described how the attack had transformed their daughter’s childhood.
“In a single moment, the future we had imagined for our daughter was torn away.”
Her mother explained that the girl had been energetic and adventurous before the shooting.
She described weakness affecting her daughter’s left side, restricted physical activity, a titanium plate in her skull and a bullet that remained lodged in her brain.
The family also described the emotional, psychological and financial consequences of caring for a child with such serious injuries.
The compensation order cannot remove those consequences. It provides a mechanism for money linked to Riley’s criminal activities to compensate the victim, although the Met has not confirmed that payment has been completed.
Riley Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
Riley was convicted at the Old Bailey on 18 August 2025 of three counts of attempted murder and one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
He was sentenced on 12 September 2025 to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 34 years, subject to credit for time already spent on remand.
Although Riley did not personally fire the weapon, the court found that he had played a central role in planning and facilitating the attack.
Investigators established that he had carried out reconnaissance around the restaurant, watching the premises and surrounding roads before the shooting.
He also drove through the area on the evening of the attack to establish whether the intended targets were present.
After the gunman fired the shots, Riley helped him escape from the area and was involved in disposing of evidence.
The court rejected his account that he believed he was participating in a robbery rather than a planned shooting.
Why the Compensation Order Matters
The latest development demonstrates that criminal investigations can continue to produce consequences for offenders beyond their prison sentences.
In this case, officers pursued Riley’s financial assets in addition to gathering the evidence that resulted in his conviction.
The money recovered has now become the subject of a compensation order for a child who suffered devastating injuries during an attack in which she had no involvement.
The Metropolitan Police has presented the approach as a potential example of how financial investigations can support justice for victims of serious organised crime.
However, the force has not established that the £9,115 award represents full compensation for the girl’s injuries or long-term needs.
The financial order is a separate development from Riley’s conviction and sentence.
Gunman Still Has Not Been Identified
Despite Riley’s conviction and the new compensation order, a significant part of the investigation remains unresolved.
The individual who fired the six shots has still not been identified, according to the Metropolitan Police’s latest statement.
Detectives continue to appeal for information that could help establish the gunman’s identity and bring him before the courts.
Anyone with information about the shooting on 29 May 2024 can contact the Metropolitan Police on 101, quoting reference 8082/29MAY24 or 01/402921/24.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The latest compensation ruling provides another measure of accountability in the case, but the search for the person who pulled the trigger continues.
