After a 10-year battle the case has been sent back to court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates miscarriages of justice.

Darren Hall, Ellis Sherwood and Michael O'Brien were all convicted of the murder and robbery of Philip Saunders, who ran a kiosk at Cardiff Bus Station.

They were each sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.

On the charge of robbery, Hall was sentenced to six years in youth custody, while Sherwood and O'Brien each received to eight years' youth custody to run concurrently.

But after submissions made by the men's solicitors and the completion of its own investigation, the commission said it has now decided that the convictions should be reconsidered by the Court of Appeal.

Earlier appeals dismissed

An appeal against conviction was heard by the Court of Appeal in March 1990, but this was dismissed.

One of those convicted of the murders - O'Brien - applied to the Home Office on 9 April, 1990, and following a BBC Wales documentary he made a further submission to the Home Office in 1996.

His case was transferred to the Review Commission for consideration after 31 March, 1997, when it took over responsibility for the investigation of suspected miscarriages of justice - previously the job of the Home Secretary.

Solicitors acting for Sherwood and Hall then submitted applications to the commission on their behalf in June 1997.