Six people were handed life sentences at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday for the murder of Joanne Penney, who was shot at point-blank range by an organised crime group. During the sentencing hearing, the victim's family delivered powerful statements detailing the profound and lasting impact of her death.
Joanne Penney's Murder
Joanne Penney, 40, died after a bullet penetrated her heart and left lung, lodging in the rear of her chest. She was pronounced dead at a property in Llys Illtyd, Talbot Green, at around 6.10pm on March 9 last year. The court heard that the killing stemmed from a “clash of rival organised crime groups.”
Marcus Huntley, 21, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Penney and was the person who pulled the trigger. Jordan Mills-Smith, 34, Joshua Gordon, 28, Kristina Ginova, 22, and Melissa Quailey-Dashper, 40, were found guilty of her murder. Convicted murderer Renaldo Baptiste, 39, who was already serving a life sentence for a murder in Leicester, orchestrated the shooting from his prison cell and was also found guilty of murder.
Family Statements Read in Court
Statements from Joanne's family were read out during the first day of the sentencing hearing on Monday. The victim's two daughters, both under 16, said in their statement: “You have left us as orphans… You didn’t just take our mum but our past, future and chance to know who we are and where we come from.” They described being told their mother was killed as something they will never forget, and said they felt “lost, scared, and angry.”
Cody Griffiths, Joanne Penney’s son, addressed the killers directly: “You shot my mother through the heart and shot her whole family through the heart too. I will never get to see or speak to her again.” He spoke about the ruthlessness of the drugs world his mother had fallen into, saying: “The drugs scene is brutal and ruthless. To think there are people in the world who can sleep at night after taking somebody’s life through drugs is something I will never be able to comprehend.”
Mother's Heartbreaking Testimony
Sharon Penney, Joanne's mother, described her daughter's death as “torture.” She said: “It’s the worst news a mother could receive… When Joanne got shot through the heart that day, they may as well have shot me. It broke my heart.” She detailed her ongoing trauma, including nightmares, flashbacks, and an inability to return to her own home. “I’m too scared to be alone, scared of myself and the depths of my depression,” she added.
Joanne's father, Keith Penney, expressed feelings of “anger, grief and guilt” at not being able to protect his daughter. He said: “The lack of remorse from the perpetrators and the way they have implied taking our daughter’s life was insignificant makes me feel so very angry.” He described Joanne as “a mother, a daughter, a sister and loved by so many family and friends.”
Siblings' Anguish
Joanne's sister, in her statement, said she was “drinking to block it out” and that “nothing will bring Joanne back, you killed her in cold blooded murder.” Another sister told the killers: “You don’t deserve to see the light of day… You made sure the light in our lives has been turned off and will never come back on.” Joanne's brother said he had been filled with “pain, anger and sadness” and experienced nightmares of his sister “taking her last breath,” adding that he had thought about joining her but could not inflict more pain on his family.
The court heard that the family's lives have been irrevocably changed, with the victims' children saying: “We will live with this pain for the rest of our lives.”
