Four gang members were today beginning life sentences for killing teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare in a drive-by shooting at a New Year's party in Aston.
Charlene's half-brother Marcus Ellis, Michael Gregory and Nathan Martin will not be released for at least 35 years following their conviction for the shootings in the early hours of January 2 2003.
Rodrigo Simms, the military-style "spotter" who guided the men into their target via mobile phone from outside the Uniseven hair salon in Aston, was told he would have to serve at least 27 years in custody.
Judge Mr Justice Goldring, who presided over the five-month trial at Leicester Crown Court, said he would have given Ellis, Gregory and Martin whole life terms had current legislation been in force at the time.
Simms, whose reduced tariff was given because of his age at the time of the shootings and his lesser involvement in firing the guns and planning the attack, would have received a minimum of 30 years, he added.
"The seriousness of these offences of murder was exceptionally high ... Two people were killed. There was a substantial degree of premeditation or planning," the judge told the killers.
"The aggravating features are clear: this was gang warfare played out on the streets of Birmingham. Lethal weapons were used. The intention was to kill. There was a complete indifference to the lives of others.
Ellis, Gregory and Martin were ordered to serve at least 24 years for attempting to murder Charlene's twin sister, Sophia, their friend, Cheryl Shaw, and another party-goer Leon Harris. Simms was told he would serve 18 years after his conviction for attempting to murder Sophia and Cheryl. All the sentences were to run concurrently.
College students Charlene, 18, and Letisha, 17, were killed when a semi-automatic sub-machine gun was fired from a slow-moving car outside the hair salon.
The four defendants - all members of the Burger Bar Boys street gang - were seeking revenge on the rival Johnson Crew when Charlene and Letisha were cut down by rounds fired from a MAC-10 assault weapon.
More on this story in Tuesday's Birmingham Post
