A gunman who went on a shooting spree in North London, firing at two black men just weeks after being convicted of a violent race attack, was today jailed for life today with a minimum term of 15 years.

Former boxer John Laidlaw, 24, shot one man in the face but missed his second intended victim, hitting a white woman in the back instead.

He went on the rampage 19 days after saying he was going to “kill all black people” when he was arrested for an attack on a motorist for which he was given a community punishment for the racially-aggravated assault.

Abu Kamara, a father of three, was left fighting for his life while another bullet brushed past intended victim Evans Baptiste and struck an Irishwoman, Emma Sheridan.

Sentencing him at the Old Bailey, Judge Samuel Wiggs said: “Within the space of less than an hour you fired at least three shots at members of the public.

“You shot Mr Kamara for no better reason than your friend came into contact with a sports bag. You shot him in the face at extremely close range.”

The judge noted that the victim still had a bullet lodged close to his spinal column in the back of his throat.

“Fortunately for him he retains good mobility but I am not surprised by what he has said about the devastating effects your action has had on his life and the prognosis is uncertain. You intended to kill him.”

The judge added: “Although both people you aimed at were black I make no finding that your crimes were racially motivated.”

He told Laidlaw, whose convictions date back to the age of 14, that he had a “bad” criminal record including robberies with weapons - although not guns.

Mr Kamara, a social worker, was gunned down in Upper Street, Islington, as he was going for a drink with friends after a game of badminton. Half an hour later Laidlaw shot at Mr Baptiste at Finsbury Park Tube station.

He continued firing as terrified members of the public screamed and crouched down in terror.

The Old Bailey jury, who was not told about his previous attack on a driver in 2004, yesterday found Laidlaw, of Holloway, north London, guilty on three counts of attempted murder and two firearms charges.

According to a police document relating to the attack on a motorist while in custody he was “foaming at the mouth”, saying he was a member of the BNP and hated all black people.

“He stated he was going to kill all black people.”

While no racial motivation has been ascribed to the shootings in north London by police or prosecutors, officers said people could form their own view.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bonomini, of Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime Directorate, speaking yesterday, said: “He has previously demonstrated a high level of aggression towards black people that appears, given his words, to be based on their race.

“But there was no evidence in these current two shootings that suggest that this formed the same sort of motivation for him and on that we have an open mind.

“People may draw their own conclusions based on his behaviour in the past.”

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