London, Jul 24: Former Millwall and Bradford striker Gavin Grant, who was cleared of murder three years ago, is facing a life sentence after being convicted for another gun killing.
Grant, 26, was involved in a series of tit-for-tat shootings in a “lawless” council estate in north-west London.
Grant, who also played for Wycombe Wanderers and Bradford City, will be sentenced on Monday for gunning down Leon Labastide, 21.
The judge said the case was linked to shootings and drug dealing on the Stonebridge Park Estate, in Harlesden, North West London, The Sun reports.
He told the jury: “It is more the law of the jungle than of civilised England.”
Grant was found not guilty in 2007 of shooting Jahmall Moore, 22, who died in a hail of 16 bullets fired by gunmen in 2005.
The player denied murdering Labastide in 2004 but was found guilty. The court was told the killing over 20,000 pounds in missing drugs money led to the death of Moore.
Detective Inspector Steve Horsley said later: “Grant thought he’d got away with murder. He carried on his football career while he had blood on his hands.”