March 28, 2001 17:32: A Colindale man who gunned down a drug dealer in a vicious revenge shooting was jailed for life at the Old Bailey yesterday, after his girlfriend betrayed him to police.

Ricky Sweeney, 20, of Tintern Avenue, shot Dean Roberts several times in Furness Road, Willesden, in July 1999, after blaming him for the death of his friend Marcus Charles two years earlier, the court heard.

Detectives took more than a year to track down Sweeney, finally making a breakthrough when his girlfriend Sophie Lewis came forward, telling police how he had boasted to her about carrying out the murder.

Passing sentence, Judge David Stokes QC told Sweeney: "This can properly be described as a carefully planned, cold-blooded assassination.

"Had it not been for the actions of that exceptionally brave young woman Sophie Lewis, who had the courage to confront you at some risk to her future safety, you may never have been caught."

Stephen Kramer QC, prosecuting, said that on the night of his death, Mr Roberts was in a taxi which pulled over after he recognised a man sitting in a parked car. While the pair were speaking through their open windows, Sweeney approached the car and asked Mr Roberts to get out.

He said: "Roberts got out of the car and the two men began to talk. The cab driver then watched as Sweeney raised his right arm from underneath his jacket and shot him in the head.

"As he fell to the ground, Sweeney not content with one shot, shot him again."

Miss Lewis is under police guard at a secret address as part of the witness protection scheme.