The judge in an alleged acid-murder case insisted yesterday the trial will begin on time.

Mr Justice Globe is to hear the case at Bradford Crown Court of four men charged with the murder of Barry Selby. The trial is due to start on May 19 and last five weeks.

The four men, Lee Calvert, 23, of Stirling Crescent, Holme Wood, Bradford; Joseph Lowther, 21, of Copgrove Road, Holme Wood; Robert Woodhead, 28, of Fred’s Place, Tyersal, Bradford and Andrew Feather, 23, of no fixed address, are also charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear.

Mr Selby, 50, died in hospital three days after an incident at his home in Rayleigh Street, East Bowling, Bradford, in the early hours of Monday, October 14 last year, in which he suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and acid burns.

The firearms charges relate to an incident where shots were allegedly fired at a house in Farway, Holme Wood, four hours earlier.

At a plea and case management hearing, Mr Justice Globe told lawyers in the case the trial would begin on the due date.

Refusing an application by solicitor advocate Andrew Walker, representing Feather, to postpone the trial for two weeks for work on CCTV evidence, the judge said: “I have said more than once, and I will keep saying it, this case is going to require priority.”

After hearing that two people at the firm of defence solicitors were working 40 hours a week on the case, Mr Justice Globe said: “If the defence is believing this is a material part of the defence, then more than 40 hours is going to have to apply.”

And he told prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford: “I have indicated this trial will take place on May 19 and the prosecution needs to give it great priority.”

He made a number of legal directions to ensure the trial date was met, including the serving of relevant evidential documentation by the prosecution and defence-witness statements.

All four men were remanded in custody. Custody time limits were extended for three of them.