Feuding Birmingham gang members banned from making music videos

Members of two notorious crime gangs in Birmingham have been banned from making music videos or meeting up with each other.

An ongoing feud between the Burger Boys Gang and the Johnson Crew had escalated when the opposing groups started uploading rap videos online to taunt each other.

The 18 men affected by the ban are also suspected of being involved in a spate of firearms and drugs offences that terrorised the city in 2015 and 2016.

This is believed to be the largest group gang injunction ever secured - and it means the men aged between 19 and 29 are forbidden from associating with each other and entering large swathes of Birmingham for the next two years.

In addition, the police can restrict the vehicles and mobile phones they use.

Ten of the men are currently serving prison sentences, including Reial Phillips, whose involvement in turf war shootings left eight people injured.

A music video was used to convict the 21-year-old of firearms and drugs offences, and he was subsequently jailed for 27 years.

Phillips, of the Burger Boys Gang, appeared in a video making shooting actions with his fingers and boasting about shooting a 16-year-old in the back, as well as other crimes.

Under the injunction, he and the nine others in jail will have to attend intervention programmes - and the Prison Service will be allowed to have tighter control over their behaviour.

The landmark ruling came after Birmingham Crown Court heard evidence from more than 80 witnesses.

Detective Sergeant Ian Comfort of West Midlands Police said: "This is relatively new legislation and we believe that securing final full injunctions on such a large number of gang members is a UK first.

"We have been working closely with Birmingham City Council and other agencies to secure these injunctions and we will continue to work with these men if they wish to turn their back on a gang lifestyle."