Joint Enterprise Law 'Wrong': Now Stephen Lawrence and Garry Newlove Killers May Walk Free

The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the law on joint enterprise has been wrongly interpreted over the past 30 years - meaning convicted murderers could soon be released.

The highest court in the land said that trial judges had “taken a wrong turn in the 80s” who it came to directing juries regarding the law.

Joint enterprise law has been used to convict and hand down long sentences for murder, even if that person did not taken part directly in the killing.

The Supreme Court has already overturned two cases of murder and dozens more convicted under the controversial law may now be able to overturn their convictions.

High-profile: David Norris and Gary Dobson were convicted for the murder of Stephen Lawrence (Rex)

Several high-profile cases have seen the law used - and notorious killers may soon be able to walk free if they win their appeal.

One such case was the racially-motivated murder of 18-year-old black teenager Stephen Lawrence, who was stabbed to death by a gang in Eltham, south-east London.

David Norris and Gary Dobson were convicted under joint enterprise in 2012 for the murder but they could now be set to appeal their conviction.

Other cases include:

Three teenagers, Adam Swellings, Stephen Sorton and Jordan Cunliffe, were jailed for life in January 2008 for the murder of Garry Newlove, who was attacked in August 2007 after he confronted a group outside his house in Warrington, Cheshire. Cunliffe’s mother Janet claims that although he was at the scene he did not take part in the murder, and she has campaigned against joint enterprise laws.

Convicted: Andrew Taylor denied throwing the fatal punch that killed Pc Neil Doyle in 2014 (Rex)

Football agent Andrew Taylor and sports event manager Timmy Donovan were jailed for seven years and six months and six years and 10 months respectively for beating to death off-duty policeman Pc Neil Doyle on his Christmas work night out in Liverpool in 2014. Neither defendant admitted throwing the fatal punch which ruptured his vertebral artery.

Samantha Joseph was jailed for 10 years for the killing of Shakilus Townsend after acting as a “honey trap” to lure the 16-year-old to his death when she was 15 in 2008. She led Shakilus to a quiet cul-de-sac in Thornton Heath, south London, where he was beaten with baseball bats and stabbed six times by her older boyfriend Danny McLean. They were both convicted of murder.

Five teenagers were given jail sentences totalling 76 years in 2011 over the killing of 15-year-old Zac Olumegbon, who was stabbed as he arrived at Park Campus School in West Norwood, south London, in July 2010.

Top pic: Rex