He died in prison on April 22, 2024, at the age of 48 as Lee “Cabbo” Amos. The feared head of Manchester’s infamous Gooch Gang. After losing his younger brother, Stephen Amos, to murder in 2002, he relentlessly pursued revenge, allowing it to consume his life.
The Murder of Stephen Amos
On 18 February 2002, a gunman fatally shot Stephen Amos, 21, outside Bexx Bar in Ashton-under-Lyne.The couple had attended a family birthday party earlier that night before. They were the victims of a drive-by shooting, according to family. Stephen was shot once in the chest and died. He was a well-known DJ and had been a youth player with Manchester City.
Lee Amos on a Quest for Revenge
Lee Amos was already in jail at the time of his brother’s killing. Amos had built a fearsome reputation as part of the Young Gooch Close gang with fellow gangster Colin “Piggy” Joyce. Behind bars, Amos and Joyce schemed revenge for Stephen’s death. After their release on parole, they quickly launched a violent attack targeting anyone linked to the gangs they had been involved with. Only adding to the wave of gun crime that gripped Manchester.
Escalation of Violence
Their vendetta in June 2007 led to the murder of 23-year-old Ucal Chin. Who was shot dead in a daylight attack in Longsight. A few weeks later, at Chin’s wake, a drive-by shooting carried out by Amos and Joyce killed 24-year-old Tyrone Gilbert and injured another man. It was all part of a gang war between the Gooch Gang and their rivals such as the Longsight Crew.
Legal Repercussions
In April 2009, after a six-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a jury found Amos and Joyce guilty of murder, attempted murder, and firearms offences related to the deaths of Chin and Gilbert. Amos to a minimum of 35 years and Joyce to life with a minimum of 39 years.
Death in Prison
Amos died at HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire. The prison spokesman confirmed his death and added that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman would investigate it, as they do with all deaths in custody.
Legacy of Violence
Amos fueled a revenge-driven cycle of violence that devastated Manchester. Escalating fear and chaos through the Gooch Gang’s actions, which led to multiple shootings and killings. However, after authorities convicted and sentenced Amos and his co-offenders. Gun violence in the city plummeted dramatically, with reported shootings decreasing by 92%.
