13/11/2003

Four in court over drive-by double killing

Four men have appeared in court in Birmingham today in relation to the murders of two teenage revellers who were shot outside a New Year's Eve party in the city last year.

Marcus Junior Ellis, 23, from Winson Green, Michael Gregory, 22, from Ladywood, Birmingham, Rodrigo Simms, 19, from Smethwick, and Nathan Antonio Martin, 24, from Smethwick, all appeared before magistrates in Birmingham today.

The victims, Charlene Ellis (18) and Letisha Shakespeare (17), were killed during a drive-by shooting in the Aston area of Birmingham after celebrating New Year's Eve last year.

One of the accused, Marcus Junior Ellis, is the half-brother of Charlene Ellis.

The men also faced charges of attempting to murder Sophie Ellis, Cheryl Shaw – both of whom were injured in the incident – and Leon Harris on the same night.

The accused have been remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on November 20.

(gmcg)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

18 March 2005
Four men convicted of New Year murders
Four men have been found guilty on charges relating to the murder of two teenage girls attending a New Year's party in Birmingham two years ago.
18 September 2015
Ten Arrested In Drug Raids
Nine men and one woman have been arrested in a series of police raids across Birmingham, Solihull and Smethwick. Police carried out the raids early on Thursday morning making ten arrests on suspicion of conspiring to supply dangerous class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.
30 October 2012
4G Launches In The UK
4G mobile internet has been launched across 11 UK cities today. Phone owners in London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton on the EE network will have access to 4G, meaning they can surf the web up to five times faster than 3G.
14 March 2012
Week Of Action Planned Over Education Changes
A national day of action to protest against changes to higher education is to be staged by students in England. The National Union of Students (NUS) says lectures will be boycotted as students join rallies, marches, petition signings and other events.
15 October 2004
Text messages used to remind women to take their pill
A special daily text message scheme to remind girls already using oral contraceptive to take their pill has been launched in Birmingham today. South Birmingham Primary Care Trust’s teenage pregnancy service is aimed at girls aged 15 to women of 25 – who register for the reminder service.