Mastermind behind the gangland hit of an innocent 15-year-old boy in retaliation of his nephew's death is found guilty of murder
A notorious criminal has been found guilty of murder for organising and financing the shooting of a 15-year-old boy as he slept in his bed at his Sydney home.
Abdul Abu-Mahmoud pleaded not guilty to murdering Brayden Dillon at his Glenfield family home on Good Friday in 2017 after his mother and stepfather were threatened with a gun.
The NSW Supreme Court heard the 35-year-old organised the hit in retaliation of the death of his nephew Adam Abu-Mahmoud, who was stabbed to death in a Panania street brawl in July 2016.
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Brayden Dillon was shot in an 'execution-style' killing while sleeping in his Glenfield home, in Sydney's southwest on Good Friday in 2017
Conrad Craig was jailed for at least 30 years in July for murder after admitting to being the gunman who burst into the teenager's room and shot him as he slept.
After a judge-alone trial, Justice Ian Harrison on Thursday found Abu-Mahmoud guilty of murder by ordering and financing the killing.
Justice Harrison ruled Abu-Mahmoud approached Craig on release from Cessnock Jail about killing the teen.
He also found him guilty of two other charges of soliciting others to murder Brayden and his older brother Joshua Dillon in his bid for revenge.
Conrad Craig was jailed for at least 30 years in July for murder after admitting to being the gunman who burst into the teenager's room and shot him as he slept
A White Mazda 3 was used to transport the shooter Conrad Craig from the Glenfield home after he shot Brayden
'The Crown alleges he had a particular state of mind, a desire for fatal retribution and that he intended to act on this by soliciting men associated with Brothers 4 Life to effect such retribution in exchange for money,' Justice Harrison said, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.
'I'm satisfied beyond reasonable doubt … he was aware that Conrad Craig planned to carry out the murder of Brayden Dillon by going to his house and shooting him and that he picked him up from Cessnock Jail in order to assist him.'
Joshua Dillon was charged over Adam Abu-Mahmoud's death, but was ultimately found not guilty by a jury due to self defence in October last year.
His uncle had a series of tattoos inked on his body including one on his left leg reading 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' and 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth and blood for blood' inked on his left arm in Arabic.
Prosecutors alleged Abu-Mahmoud changed tactic to target Brayden after Joshua was kept in protective custody while on remand.
Justice Harrison rejected a bid by Craig to go back on what he originally told police about accepting a $20,000 payment from Abu-Mahmoud to carry out the shooting.
He adjourned the case to October 15 when a sentencing hearing date will be set.
Outside the courtroom Acting Inspector Luke Scott said the guilty verdict is a step in the right direction towards helping the family overcome their grief.
'The family and we are very happy with the result — it's been three-and-a-half years since the murder of Brayden Dillon and this is just one small step in the quest for justice,' he said.
Family and friends of Brayden Dillon hold a memorial on what would have been Brayden's 16th birthday, at East Hills, south west of Sydney, Wednesday, July 12, 2017