Hi and welcome to this JK B'HAM Crime Report for VPN: REGIONAL NETWORKS:
An American woman accused of attempting to assassinate a Birmingham drug lord has been extradited to the UK to stand trial. Aimee Betro, 45, from Wisconsin, was remanded in custody ahead of a Crown Court hearing on 14 February.
Betro appeared before Birmingham magistrates after being arrested in Armenia last summer. She is charged with conspiracy to murder Sikander Ali, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and the importation of ammunition from the US.
Betro allegedly disguised herself in a hijab and confronted Ali outside his home in September 2019, but the gun jammed, allowing him to escape. She later fired shots at his house and sent chilling messages threatening to “shed blood soon.”
Father and son Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Nazir, from Derby, were jailed for a total of 42 years for orchestrating the failed hit on clothing shop owner Ali, who has himself been jailed for large-scale cocaine trafficking.
The attack was motivated by a desire for revenge following an earlier violent clash in an upscale clothing store which left the two men with injuries.
ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding the Crime and Sentencing
As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access and understanding of UK Criminal law, we will be explaining the relevant UK legislation surrounding any case law relevant to our articles:
Conspiracy to Murder and Firearm Offences
In this instance, the defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Under Section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981, a person can be convicted of conspiracy to murder if they are found to have planned the death of another, even if the murder does not occur. A conviction for conspiracy to murder can result in a maximum life sentence.
For the possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, Section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968 stipulates that it is an offence to possess a firearm in circumstances where the weapon is used to threaten or frighten others, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If the firearm is used to intimidate during the commission of a crime, as seen in this case, the penalty can be severe.
In cases like this, where the weapon is used to threaten, but fails to function properly (such as the gun jamming), courts still take into account the intent to cause harm, with sentencing reflecting the seriousness of the planned act. This highlights how the law punishes not just the outcome of violent acts, but the planning and intent behind them.
These offences demonstrate the legal system’s zero-tolerance approach to premeditated violence and firearm misuse, ensuring severe consequences for those who engage in such criminal activities.
Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.
Jason King
Birmingham City-Desk
Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews
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