Two jailed for ‘honeytrap’ shooting in broad daylight

A man and a woman have been jailed after they shot her previous partner in an attack that left the victim with life-changing injuries.

The victim, a man in his 20s, was shot multiple times when Daniel Gaudin, 23, of Cranleigh Close, Waltham Cross and Shannon Rule, 23, of Ashwood Road, Chingford travelled to Merton to carry out the attack in broad daylight.

The court heard that Rule had been in a relationship with both the victim and Gaudin. The two men did not know each other.

Gaudin became aware of the other man and sent a number of threatening texts to him.

Matters soon escalated dramatically when Gaudin asked Rule to lure the man to a meeting near his home in Morden, where he would then shoot him.

The victim agreed, believing he would meet Rule alone.

On June 22, 2021, Gaudin and Rule travelled to Morden where Rule met the victim before Gaudin appeared and shot him multiple times. Scores of people watched the incident unfold.

Police were called to Central Road, at the junction with Abbotsbury Road where they found the victim and he was rushed to hospital by London Ambulance Service paramedics.

The injuries he sustained were life-changing and he requires ongoing treatment to this day.

Gaudin and Rule fled the scene immediately but the route they thought was their escape actually led them back towards the scene of the crime – where stationed firearms officers saw the suspects and arrested them.

Rule denied knowing that Gaudin had a gun or that he intended to shoot the victim. Her lies quickly unravelled when officers discovered texts she had sent to the victim warning him about Gaudin and that he was in possession of a firearm.

Detective Inspector Iain Wallace, the officer who led the investigation, said: “The sentences handed down show how seriously the Judge deemed the actions of Rule and Gaudin.

“Our thoughts foremost are with the young man whose life was changed in an instant following a shocking and utterly needless act of wanton violence, born out of Gaudin’s sheer jealousy and insecurity.

“He had no idea of what would unfold that day and the terrible injuries he sustained will mean he needs assistance for the rest of his life. I hope the convictions we have seen today will allow he and his family some small measure of comfort.”

Pictured top: Daniel Gaudin and Shannon Rule (picture: Met Police)