Coordinated attack in New Addington ends in lengthy jail terms
Three men convicted of carrying out a planned firearms attack in New Addington, Croydon, have been handed a combined sentence of 44 years after a court found the assault was a deliberate act of retaliation.
The incident took place in Walsh Crescent in the evening of a day in May 2025 when a man in his 30s was ambushed while standing by his parked car. A black saloon drew up alongside him and a passenger stepped out, firing two shots with a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun. The first round smashed the windscreen and missed the driver; the second passed through the driver’s side window and struck him in the chest.
Despite sustaining serious injuries, the victim survived and later made his way to hospital. Police and armed officers secured the scene and detectives began an immediate investigation.
Evidence from phone footage and phone records
Officers recovered a mobile telephone from the victim’s vehicle which, investigators say, contained footage showing the victim and another man confronting the suspected gunman a short time before the shooting. Detectives were able to identify the shooter within hours and rapidly concluded the attack was prompted by that earlier confrontation.
Further work connected the three defendants together: forensic examination confirmed the firearm used was a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun, while phone records and location data placed the men at key points before and after the assault. The inquiry found that two brothers and an associate acted in concert — one as the shooter, one as the driver of the saloon, and one providing directions and assistance to locate the victim.
- Victim: man in his 30s, survived serious chest wound.
- Location: Walsh Crescent, New Addington.
- Weapon: sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun.
Sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court
At Woolwich Crown Court on 23 July, the three men received the following custodial terms:
| Defendant | Age | Address (as reported) | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tevin Nzita | 29 | Warbank Crescent, Croydon | 25 years |
| Anthony Da Sousa | 30 | Station Approach, Coulsdon | 15 years |
| Christopher Da Sousa | 27 | Mickleham Way, Croydon | 4 years |
The total of the sentences handed down amounts to 44 years behind bars.
“This was an incredibly dangerous, deliberate and targeted attack,” said investigators involved in the case, underlining the swift progress detectives made from recovering footage to identifying the suspects.
Local impact and policing response
For residents of New Addington and wider Croydon, the case will resonate as an example of gun violence ripping into everyday streets. Armed response units and local officers acted quickly on the night, and the investigation’s use of mobile phone footage and digital traces highlights the role of modern forensic techniques in securing convictions.
Although the victim survived, the attack has left lingering concerns about targeted offences being carried out in suburban neighbourhoods. The sentences handed down reflect the gravity with which the court treated an incident involving a high-powered, shortened shotgun fired at close range in a residential street.
Police said phone records showed the three defendants were in contact at crucial moments before and after the shooting and that location data placed them at relevant sites. The evidence assembled by detectives — physical, digital and forensic — proved decisive in the prosecution.
Those convicted now face significant time in custody. For the local community, the focus will be on ensuring continued policing presence, supporting victims, and preventing similarly violent reprisals on Croydon’s streets.
