THE FAMILY of the man convicted as being the getaway driver in the acid attack murder of father-of-three Barry Selby has turned private detective in a bid to prove his innocence.

Relatives of 24-year-old Andrew Feather have been trawling through hours of CCTV evidence and claim to have uncovered discrepancies which could give grounds for a renewed appeal against his conviction.

Feather, of Heysham Drive, Holme Wood, Bradford, was convicted last June of murder and jailed for a minimum of 26 years, in a case of joint enterprise, in which defendants not involved in the murder can be convicted if they are secondary participants.

MPs are calling for an urgent review of the law on joint enterprise.

Co-accused Robert Woodhead, 28, of Fred's Place, Tyersal, and Joseph Lowther, 22, of Copgrove Road, Holme Wood, were told they would have to serve at least 32 years behind bars, while Lee Calvert, 23, of Stirling Crescent, Holme Wood, was sentenced to a minimum term of 36 years.

Mr Selby, 50, was shot in the leg and had sulphuric acid poured over him after intruders smashed their way into his home in Rayleigh Street, East Bowling. He suffered 50 per cent acid burns and died in hospital four days later.

Trial judge Mr Justice Globe described the murder as "vicious, cowardly and beneath contempt".

He said Calvert had fired the gun and thrown the acid, while Woodhead and Lowther were at the house, and Feather was the getaway driver.

All four have been refused leave to appeal against their convictions and sentence but are planning to renew their appeals.

And campaign group JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association) is planning to use Feather as a test case.

His sister, care worker Rebecca Wright, 28, of Bradford, said: "We have got all the CCTV and have gone through it with a fine toothcomb. Some of it is shocking and there are a lot of question marks about the CCTV evidence.

"I had never heard of joint enterprise before this. We are looking at further evidence for grounds to appeal. We believe we have a case."

None of the defendants gave evidence in their trial but Miss Wright said her brother had been advised not to by his lawyers.

She added: "He was the only one to give a full account to police. He wasn't at the scene and there is no evidence he knew what was going to happen."

She said she felt sick when she found out what had happened to Mr Selby.

"The crime is absolutely disgusting and the Selby family should have justice.

"But my brother has been dragged into something he has nothing to do with, and that is an injustice. From the very start he said it was nothing to do with him.

"He is not a violent person. He is just a typical 24-year-old young man who would help anybody. Nobody has a bad word about him."

Janet Cunliffe, co-founder of JENGbA, said Feather's case was a classic example of joint enterprise.

She said: "There isn't anything concrete to associate him with the crime, other than speculation that he was the getaway driver.

"Andrew's is one of the cases we are looking to use as a test case. We are supporting his family and asking them to find the evidence that they need to go to the Appeal Court."

The family's solicitor, Andrew Walker, said leave to appeal had been refused by a single judge after considering the papers but the application was to be renewed with oral representations before three judges.

Mr Walker said: "Mr Feather's family is assisting with the reviewing of the CCTV evidence to see whether there are further anomalies. At this stage there has to be new evidence. If it is to be forthcoming it is likely to be in the form of CCTV evidence.

"The judge made very clear directions to the jury about joint enterprise. If we can be sure of one thing, it is that Andrew Feather was never at any time near that house in Rayleigh Street on the night in question."

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