A man who shot a young father in the face at point-black range has been jailed for 12 years and six months, after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Dean Copeland, 32, of Bodley Manor Way, Brixton pleaded guilty on Monday, October 3 to the manslaughter of Sebastian Jamal Hyman-Knight following a shooting in Tennyson Street, Battersea.

He was due for a retrial after being charged with murder but changed his plea and was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the same venue on Monday, October 10.

Mr Hyman-Knight, who was also known as Jamal, was shot in the face at point-blank-range after he opened the door of his flat at about 11pm on Thursday, September 11, 2014.

Witnesses reported seeing Copeland - who knew 21-year-old Mr Hyman-Knight - acting suspiciously near a car in Tennyson Street.

Wandsworth Times:

A member of the public was so concerned about what he may have been up to that he recorded the vehicle registration number of the car.

Shortly afterwards residents heard a loud bang, followed by footsteps and then a car driving off.

Police were called and officers were sent to the location to investigate.

As the officers drove along Tennyson Street they saw the father-of-one lying in the doorway of his flat.

The officers gave first aid but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

A post-mortem examination found that he had been shot in the face at close range. An investigation was launched and enquiries by detectives led to the identification and arrest of Copeland a week later.

Detectives viewed more than 200 hours of CCTV which confirmed Copeland’s movements in the hours running up to the killing.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Watling said: “Dean Copeland’s behaviour on the night of Sebastian’s death was so suspicious that it prompted members of the public to note the registration number of the car and call the police.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the witnesses for their vigilance that evening.

“Their assistance to the investigation was invaluable. I hope that today’s guilty plea goes some way towards providing some comfort for Sebastian’s family, including his partner and young child.”

Sebastian’s mother, Carol Hyman-Knight said: “Since Sebastian’s death we have been through two heart wrenching and emotional trials spread out over two years of uncertainty.”