�The mother of murdered Rocky Dawson, who was gunned down in front of his two children, is still tormented by the question “why?” as his killer takes his deadly secret to jail this week.

But she has vowed to bring to justice the paymasters who ordered the killing – a tragic case of mistaken identity – that May evening five years ago.

Contract killer James Tomkins, 61, pulled out a handgun and fired at Rocky outside his parents’ home in Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch.

Assassin

But the remorseless assassin – a notorious gangland hired gun – has never told why he pulled the trigger.

His lawyers offered no mitigation in court during the two- week trial at Woolwich Crown Court, which ended on Monday with a 33-year minimum sentence for Tomkins.

Chillingly, Tomkins realised he had the wrong target – but told 24-year-old Rocky “You’ll do” and fired anyway.

Mother Candy Dawson, 53, said: “[Tomkins] knows who ordered him to do this; only he knows why he shot Rocky when he wasn’t the right person; and why he was there in the first place.

“Tomkins has shown no remorse, his eyes were dead throughout the trial.”

Candy who, along with friend Carol Cunningham, brought the hunt for fugitive Tomkins to Spain – where he had been in hiding for four years – has said she will not rest until she sees all those involved in court.

“This is not over. One chapter may have closed with Tomkins in jail but there are so many questions still unanswered.”

Rocky, an electrician, had been settling his son Rocky Junior, two, and daughter of his partner, six-year-old Georgia, into his car in the driveway of his parents’ home.

A stolen dark-coloured Landrover Freelander pulled up.

Sought cover

From the passenger seat Tomkins called out, and as Rocky sought cover, he fired.

Another of the shots shattered the back window of Rocky’s car, a Fiat Punto, but miraculously neither of the youngsters was hurt.

However, Rocky stumbled into his parents’ home and collapsed dying in Candy’s arms.

The daughters of Rocky’s sister Rachel – Candilee, 11, Daisy, eight, and son Alfie, five – watched in horror as their uncle died. The children still have counselling today.

Candy said of Tomkins: “Some people say he’s sick or mentally ill. I don’t believe that, to me Tomkins is pure evil.

“To kill someone in front of two young children is the work of the devil.”