TWO teenage assassins who murdered a schoolboy in revenge for the unsolved gangland murder of another teen were sentenced to life in prison today.

Hiruy Zerihun, 18, from Fallowfield, and Njabolu Ndlovu, 19, from Newton Heath opened fire on a car in Stretford on May 10 2009 in a revenge attack and killed 16-year-old Giuseppe Gregory.

They had been trying to avenge the death of Louis Brathwaite, who was shot dead in 2008.

When sentencing the killers, Mr Justice Timothy Holroyde condemned the waste of young lives in gang related violence.

'''This murder was gang related and motivated by revenge. In this case a young teenager has been killed and two others will spend time in prison what should have been the most productive years of adulthood,” he said.

At Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday March 31, Zerihun and Ndlovu were sentenced to life for the murder and for possessing firearms with intent to endanger life.

Zerihun was ordered to serve a minimum of 23 years and Ndlovu will be detained for at least 21 years.

They had both denied the killing.

Shadrach Phipps, 21, from Longsight, was jailed for 10 years and Michael Egerton, 21, from Gorton, was jailed for five years and four months, for possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Police are still looking for another youth in connection with Giuseppe's death.

The six week trial was told Brathwaite - nicknamed 'Lippy Lou'' - had been a member of the South Manchester gang the Fallowfield Mad Dogs which was a splinter group of the infamous Gooch Close mob of Moss Side.

Brathwaite was cut down in a hail of bullets by the rival Longsight Crew as he stood with pals inside a William Hill bookmakers in January 2008.

After the killing Zerihun who was Brathwaite's best friend got two tattoos, one of which says ‘RIP Louis Brathwaite’, and other saying: ‘LBR’ which police suspected stood for Louis Brathwaite Revenge.

The killing of Giuseppe occurred on May 10 last year just 11 days after 18-year old Travis Bailey, who had been suspected of Brathwaite's murder, was told by police no further action would be taken against him.

Brathwaite's gang had laid a trap after being alerted to a tip off Bailey would attend a party at the Robin Hood pub in Stretford in a VW Golf.

The hitmen disguised in balaclavas were spotted 'lurking' in bushes in the car park before two of them rushed up to the VW as it was leaving before opening fire with a Russian made Tokarev handgun.

Giuseppe's cousin Anthan Barnett who was driving the car later told police they were victims of a 'set up'. He said: "I turned left out of the car park and was about 15 yards away from the shadows when I heard the shots.

"The first thing I knew something was wrong was when I heard the bang and the windscreen smashed. Someone then said 'he's been shot', keep him awake’."

"I remember looking back once en route to the hospital and I saw that Giuseppe's head was floppy." Giuseppe died in Trafford General two and a half hours later.

Bailey said in a statement: ''Giuseppe was making noises like he was breathing blood. The car we were in was, as far as I was concerned, a low key car. It wasn't as though it was known."

Glynn Lewis, who was sitting next to Giuseppe said: "Sometimes when I close my eyes I can see the two shadows running out of the bush and trying to get over each other with their arms stretched out in front of them, pointing at us.

"It was all in one moment, as soon as the car started to go I heard bang, bang, bang.

"I ducked down to try and get under the driver's seat.

''I was scared and panicking. I screamed: 'oh no he's been shot' when I looked to see if Giuseppe was all right. I tried to get him in an upright position and said 'talk to me, talk to me'.

Zerihun, of Fallowfield, and Ndlovu, of Newton Heath denied murder and offered alibis for the night of the shooting.

The jury took 13 hours 46 minutes to reach their verdicts. Taxi driver Yaseen Kholwadia, 23, of Old Trafford who was accused of ferrying the two killers to the scene of the hit was found not guilty of murder.

In 2005 Giuseppe who attended Cedar Mount School in Gorton was just 13 when he survived a drive by shooting carried out by Gooch Close gang whilst he was out riding his bicycle with brother Anton, 15.

He was hit in the lower leg while Anton was blasted five times in the chest back groin and thigh as both tried to dive for cover. Both were later placed under armed guard in hospital but both made a recovery.

In the months befire his death police identified Giuseppe as at risk of being involved in gangs and officers had been working with his family to steer him away from the mobs.

In a statement his mother Samantha Lewis, 36, said: "Gun crime hurts so many people and Giuseppe was only a 16 years old schoolboy with the whole of his life in front of him.

''Giuseppe was my loving and beautiful son who was taken away from me before he had chance to fully experience life.

"He had a big personality and was loved by all who knew him. Friends looked up to him, family adored him and he will be sadly missed by all.

"Giuseppe was my only child, my little boy and no words or statement will ever sum up what he meant to me or what I lost.

"Not only have I lost my only son, but my mother her only grandson. And in death, as in life, I know he will continue to protect and look after us as he always did.''