RELATIVES of two Bradford killers serving life sentences have welcomed legal moves to shake up joint enterprise legislation.

The Justice Committee of MPs has called for the Law Commission to undertake an urgent review of the law of joint enterprise in murder cases.

The MPs say proposals should be considered for only manslaughter or lesser offences to be charged where secondary participants did not encourage or assist the perpetration of the murder.

The case of Laura Mitchell, now 29, of Buttershaw, was taken up by the campaign group JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association) after she was convicted of the murder of Andrew Ayres.

Mr Ayres, 50, was subjected to a gang attack in the car park of the King's Head pub in Halifax Road, Buttershaw, in January 2007. His death was caused by then 21-year-old Carl Holmes stamping on his face as he lay on the ground.

Mitchell and two other co-defendants were sentenced to a minimum of 13 and a half years in prison on the basis that they were secondary parties to the death. She lost an appeal against the murder conviction.

Her sister, Casey Kellett, 23, yesterday welcomed the intervention of the MPs.

"It is encouraging and the sort of thing we have been calling for," she said. "We would welcome any fresh look at the law on this issue. It is important to keep it in the public eye."

Mitchell is now aged 30 and has served more than seven years in prison. Her son is now a teenager.

Miss Kellett said: "She's doing all right, but this time of year is hard. Hopefully next year will be different."

She added: "The opinion of the Justice Committee gives us hope and encourages us to keep fighting and that's what we will do. We will keep on fighting because we know we are right."

JENGbA is also supporting the family of Lee Calvert, who was sentenced to a minimum of 36 years behind bars for the joint murder of Barry Selby, 50.

Family man Mr Selby died after masked intruders broke into his home, shot him in the leg and poured sulphuric acid over him in October 2013.

Calvert, 23, of Holme Wood, was identified as one of the intruders by Mr Selby's wife.

He was convicted, with three other men Robert Woodhead, 28, Joseph Lowther, 22, and Andrew Fearther, 23, of murder, but continues to maintain his innocence and is appealing against his conviction.

His sister, Kelly Calvert, who is involved in a campaign group called Free the Bradford 4, said he had been given a sentence similar to those imposed on child killer Ian Huntley and crossbow cannibal Stephen Griffiths.

Miss Calvert said: "The law on joint enterprise is wrong. It has taken families away from each other for a very long time. Lee was given one of the longest sentences ever under joint enterprise.

"This gives us hope in our campaign. We are still receiving a lot of support. I want to make the people of Bradford aware of joint enterprise."