Killer of South Shields takeaway boss Tipu Sultan given two more years in prison after trying to take rap for Tup Tup Palace nightclub shooting

A man serving a life sentence after the cold-blooded killing of a takeaway shop boss has been given more jail time after trying to take the blame for a nightclub shooting.
Michael McDougall.Michael McDougall.
Michael McDougall.

Michael McDougall, 50, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice following a shooting at Tup Tup Palace in Newcastle in 2015. McDougall is already serving more than 30 years behind bars for the killing of takeaway restaurant owner Tipu Sultan. Following the shooting at Tup Tup, in which a 24-year-old doorman was shot in the arm when a gunman on a motorbike opened fire using a sawn-off shotgun, Michael Dixon, 50, of Walker in Newcastle, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life by a jury at the Old Bailey in London last month. Dixon, of Walker, was today sentenced to life with a minimum term of eight years.John Henry Sayers, 54, of Walker, was convicted of perverting the course of justice along with McDougall. The court heard McDougall, after meeting Sayers in HMP Wakefield while Sayers was on remand awaiting trial for the Tup Tup Palace shooting, falsely told police he had fired the gun.However, following interviews, police were satisfied McDougall was not the real gunman and discovered an attempted cover-up between he and Sayers to relieve Dixon of any blame.A jury found both Sayers and McDougall, previously of Hylton Avenue, Marsden, South Shields, guilty of perverting the course of justice.Sayers was jailed for five years, but will serve three-and-a-half years due to time spent on remand.McDougall, of no fixed address, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment consecutive to the life sentence he is currently serving.McDougall was jailed for a life sentence of 34 years in April 2016 after he was found guilty of shooting dad-of-two Mr Sultan, who lived in Sunderland.The 32-year-old businessman had run the Herbs & Spice Kitchen takeaway in Lake Avenue, Marsden, South Shields, with his family.

McDougall was also found guilty of two charges of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Michael Dixon.Michael Dixon.
Michael Dixon.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His co-accused Michael Mullen, 24, of Hawthorne Avenue, Cleadon Park, South Shields, who had taken McDougall to and from the murder scene on the back of a motorbike, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.Mullen was jailed for 12 years for his part in the crime. Following the sentencing of the three men, Northumbria Police’s head of crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Lisa Orchard, said: “Sayers, along with McDougall, tried to manipulate the justice system in the hope of ensuring one of his associates was not prosecuted for a very dangerous offence.“It was right and proper that all of the evidence was put in front of a jury, and we respect their decisions.“We act without fear or favour when tackling seriousand organised crime across Northumbria, and we will leave no stone unturned when bringing perpetrators to justice.”Det chf supt Orchard added: “Today’s sentencing shows Northumbria Police are committed to tackling serious and organised crime which undermines and threatens the fabric of our community.“I would like to thank the team who worked on this case for their integrity, professionalism and tireless hard work, as well as the many witnesses who came forward and assisted police in this complex investigation.”