19/05/2006

New Year killers lose appeal bid

Four men sentenced to life for the murder of teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare at a New Year's party in 2003 have lost their bid to appeal against their convictions.

Marcus Ellis, Michael Gregory, Nathan Martin and Rodrigo Simms were convicted of the murders last March.

Charlene, 18 and Letisha Shakespeare, 17, were gunned down outside a hairdressing salon in Aston, Birmingham on January 2, 2003.

Charlene's twin sister Sophia, their friend Cheryl Shaw and another party-goer, Leon Harris, were all injured in the shooting, which is believed to have been a botched gang attack.

During the trial, the court was told that the killers were all said to be members of a gang known as the Burger Bar Boys and the intended targets of the attack were members of a rival gang known as the Johnson Crew.

Ellis, who was the twins' half brother, Gregory and Martin were all sentenced to minimum terms of 35 years, while Simms was recommended to serve at least 27 years.

(KMcA/CD)

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