Noye sentence appeal fails

Convicted killer Kenneth Noye today failed in his High Court bid to challenge Home Secretary David Blunkett's refusal to convert his mandatory life sentence into a fixed term sentence.

Lord Justice Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice Mackay, said Mr Blunkett's "continuing refusal was entirely appropriate" and the challenge "has no merit whatsoever".

Noye, 57, who was jailed for life for the M25 'road rage' murder of Stephen Cameron, has been held in the special secure unit at Whitemoor Prison, Cambs, which houses some of the country's most dangerous criminals, since May 1999. He is categorised as "an exceptional escape risk".

His lawyers said after today's hearing they were now asking the Criminal Cases Review Commission to consider sending his case back to the Court of Appeal on the basis that his conviction was legally flawed.

Noye fled to Spain after killing 21-year-old Mr Cameron in 1996, but was extradited and jailed for life in 2000, with the minimum term before he could be considered for parole set at 16 years.

His lawyers argued that the Spanish courts had only agreed to his extradition after a promise from the UK prosecuting authorities that he would not have to serve a "life" sentence.

But Lord Justice Kennedy said: "There is even at this stage no reason to suppose the Spanish courts were under any misapprehension as to what would happen when this individual was returned to the UK."