A fugitive assassin spent time chilling on Brighton seafront before heading to Birmingham where she botched a hit job when her gun jammed.
The details emerged as the two men who hired her to shoot dead a business rival were convicted of conspiracy to murder by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court.
Aimee Betro, 44, flew in from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and posed as an American tourist, staying in a Brighton hotel, posting videos and photographs on social media.
She filmed Brighton seafront from the upper promenade between the piers and went on the i360, capturing her reflection in a video which included shots of the pod’s shiny exterior.
But she came to Britain because Mohammed Aslam, 56, and his son Mohammed Nazir, 30, both from Derby, wanted her to kill a business rival Aslat Mahamud or members of his family.
Kevin Hegarty, prosecuting, told jurors that Mr Mahamud’s son Sikander Ali was trying to sell a Volkswagen Golf. Betro arranged to meet him on the pretext of being interested in buying the VW car.
She turned up in a Mercedes, stepped out of the car and aimed her gun at Mr Ali at head height but, when she pulled the trigger, the gun jammed.
Mr Ali was still in his car and reversed as quickly as he could, hitting the open door of Betro’s Mercedes which she abandoned.
In the early hours of the next morning, Betro took a taxi to Mr Mahamud’s house and fired three shots at the property. No one was hurt.
The court was told that she later texted Mr Mahamud, saying, “Stop playing hide and seek” and “Where are you hiding?”
The jury was told that Betro later sent Mr Mahamud another text, saying: “You want to rip me off, you want to be a drug kingpin go look at your house. I will show you. Watch your back. I will be shedding blood soon.”
Betro arrived in Britain in August 2019 and flew back to America in September, with Nazir flying there a few days later. His documents said that he would be staying with Betro.
When he came back to Britain four weeks later, he was arrested, as was his father.
Detectives pieced together their involvement by examining their phones as well security camera footage and financial transactions.
Nazir was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and having a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
He was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice and illegally importing firearms over a plot to bring guns into the country and then blame it on another person to frame them.
Aslam was cleared of a firearms offence but he was found guilty of conspiracy to murder.
Aslam and Nazir are due to be sentenced on Friday 9 August. Betro is still at large.
Detective Inspector Matt Marston said: “This was a complex and protracted investigation. Aslam and Nazir were determined to take revenge following a fall-out where they were injured.
“The lengths they went to in trying to make sure they weren’t implicated in pulling the trigger are immense.
“However, thanks to some great police work and support from our Derbyshire colleagues we were able to place them firmly in the middle of the attempted murder plot.
“We hope that today, after a number of years unravelling this investigation, justice has been served.”
Derbyshire Police said: “That nobody died as a result of Aslam and Nazir’s actions is through nothing other than sheer good fortune.
“Their plan was to kill and, had it not been for the gun jamming, there is a good chance this would have been a murder investigation.”
