A MAN serving life behind bars for a botched murder which saw the victim gunned down on his own doorstep is set to launch an appeal to clear his name.

John Ward, 22, bled to death after a sawn-off shotgun was fired through a glass panel in the front door of his St Osyth home in March 2006.

The bungling gang responsible was attempting to kill another target and ended up murdering the wrong man in the brutal shooting.

Peter Jones, 48, of Danbury Road, Chelmsford, was one of three men found guilty and convicted of murder in 2008.

He was ordered to serve at least 25 years in prison before he could even apply for parole.

But Jones is now set to launch an appeal in a bid to clear his name.

His lawyers are preparing an appeal on the basis the “fresh evidence” has come to light which could cast doubt on the jury’s guilty verdict.

The move was revealed in a brief hearing at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

Lady Justice Sharp told the lawyers that any appeal must be lodged by November.

No further details have yet been revealed about the nature of the new evidence which could be used to challenge the sentence.

Mr Ward was gunned down on the doorstep of his home in Point Clear Road, St Osyth.

In the trial it was revealed that the gang of killers were targeting a friend of Mr Ward – Stewart Higgins - who was staying with him, but shot the wrong man.

It was in response to an altercation between Mr Higgins and the family of one of the murderers.

Jones was convicted of murder along with David Taylor, of Colchester, and Martin Valentine, of South Ockenden.

Taylor and Jones fled to Spain after the shooting but were forced to return in 2007.

While Jones got 25 years in jail, Taylor and gunman Valentine each got 30 years behind bars.

None of the men showed any emotion as they were led from the dock.

At the time senior investigating officer for Essex Police, Det Supt Phil Tucker, called it “a totally disproportionate act of violence by a group of criminal thugs”.