New Year gun killers set to appeal

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The move follows a ruling by the Law Lords on Wednesday which allowed a double murder conviction to be quashed because witnesses in the trial were allowed to give evidence anonymously.

Solicitor Errol Robinson said the ruling paved the way for those convicted of the murders of Birmingham students Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17, to appeal after they were found guilty following a trial which involved an anonymous witness.

He is acting for Marcus Ellis, 24, of Devonshire Avenue, Winson Green, Birmingham and Rodrigo Simms, 20, of Whitehouse Drive, Smethwick convicted of the killings along with Michael Gregory, 23, of Ryland Street, Ladywood, Birmingham and Nathan Martin, 26, of South Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, after a five-month trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Charlene and Letisha were killed when a semi-automatic sub-machine gun was fired from a car outside the Uniseven hair salon in Aston, Birmingham in the early hours of January 2 2003.

Defence lawyers argued that the trial was unfair because, in a move unprecedented in modern times, prosecution witnesses were allowed to give their evidence anonymously to allay fear of reprisals.

Mr Robinson said he would be lodging an application within the next few days to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, asking for the case to be referred to the Court of Appeal.

He said he had appealed twice before on the grounds that the trial was unfair because an anonymous witness had been used, but had been unsuccessful.

"We always argued this and we were always clear that this was the law and now the Lords have sensibly and emphatically made it clear it is the law," he said.