Gavin Parry, 31, was shot dead at an industrial estate in Winson Green on April 13, 2021. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, had his face covered, and carried a Second World War STEN machine gun. Before he could open fire, he was shot twice in the head by a Skorpion machine gun.
Who Was Gavin Parry?
Parry was a long-standing member of the Burger Bar Boys, a notorious Handsworth gang thought to have been extinct after dominating the guns and drugs trade in the 1980s and 1990s. He was described as feared and 'wildly out-of-control'. In 2008, at age 18, he was jailed for pointing a shotgun at a police officer. He had also kicked a female officer in the face and later struck another man with a metal bar in custody.
The Fatal Incident
Parry arrived at an auto repair unit run by the Bailey brothers on a stolen quad bike. After a dispute, he left making threats. Thirty minutes later, he returned armed and armored. Thirteen people were inside the unit, including a murderer and notorious gangsters. Theo Bailey had turned off the estate's CCTV but forgot cameras overlooking his own unit. Eight shots were fired; Parry was hit twice in the head. Another man, Tariq McLarty, was shot in the neck and hip but survived.
Trials and Convictions
Theo Bailey was found guilty of manslaughter and perverting the course of justice, sentenced to 22 years. He was not identified as the gunman. Dante Kalsi was cleared of murder and manslaughter but convicted of perverting the course of justice, sentenced to three years consecutive to a 15-year-10-month term for separate crimes. Remell Bailey was cleared of all charges. Tyveve Malone, who drove Parry to the unit, was found not guilty of a firearm offense. The gunman has never been identified.
Impact and Aftermath
The case featured on BBC's Crimewatch Live. Despite around a dozen arrests and three trials, only Theo Bailey has been convicted for the unlawful killing. Parry's family never submitted a victim impact statement. The investigation faced a 'wall of silence' reminiscent of the Burger Bar Boys' reign. Senior police figures issued reassurances about tackling gun and knife crime, but community leader Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo said gun violence was 'the worst it has ever been'.
