Brislington cannabis killers sentences to be reviewed

Radian Lika (l) and Brikel Palaj were jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years

Three men involved in the death of a rival in a fight over a cannabis crop could see their sentences increased.

Aranit Lleshi, 32, from London, was fatally stabbed in Brislington, Bristol, on 24 May last year.

Radian Lika, 36, and Brikel Palaj, 33, were convicted of murder at Bristol Crown Court last month and jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.

Nikola Palaj, 29, was convicted of the manslaughter of Mr Lleshi and sentenced to five years in prison.

The sentences of all three men have now been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

During the seven-week trial, the court heard £95,000 worth of cannabis was being grown in a rented house close to the scene of the fight in Bloomfield Road.

Aranit Lleshi died at the scene 0n Bloomfield Road

Mr Lleshi and his brother Sadik Lleshi, both of Culvert Road, Tottenham, were preparing to harvest the cannabis when they were attacked by their rivals.

The second London-based gang had been hoping to steal the crop in their absence.

Instead, both gangs found themselves in Bloomfield Road at the same time.

After checking out the property, Lika and Brikel Palaj drove to a nearby Sainsbury's and bought four kitchen knives before returning.

The jury convicted Lika, of Islington, London of murder by a 10-2 majority in March, while Brikel Palaj, of Plumstead, London, was convicted of murder on a majority of 11-1.

Nikola Palaj, 28, also of Plumstead was cleared of murder but was convicted by the jury of manslaughter, also on a 10-2 majority.

They were jailed on 21 April this year.

In addition, 35-year-old Kastriot Mhillaj, of no fixed address, who had admitted a charge of violent disorder prior to the trial, was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment.

He was immediately released as he had already been held on remand for almost a year.

The violence led to a major police operation

His sentence has not been referred to the Court of Appeal.

Anyone can ask for a prison term to be considered by the AGO, although it has not been confirmed who referred the sentences of Lika, Brikel Palaj and Nikola Palaj.

The AGO then reviews the case and makes a decision on whether to refer it to the Court of Appeal, but any referral must be made within 28 days of sentence being passed.

A date for the hearing of the three men convicted of killing Aranit Lleshi has yet to be set.

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