Kenneth Noye loses murder conviction appeal

Kenneth Noye, one of the UK's most notorious criminals, has lost his appeal against his conviction for murder. Noye, 63, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2000 for the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Stephen Cameron on an M25 slip road at Swanley, Kent in 1996. He lost a conviction challenge in 2001, and the court of appeal in London rejected a fresh attempt to have his conviction overturned. Noye's conviction came under renewed scrutiny following a decision to refer his case to the court of appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the independent body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice. It was argued on his behalf at a recent appeal hearing – watched by Noye via video link from prison – that key prosecution witnesses at his trial had now been "so discredited" that his conviction should be quashed. At the heart of the challenge, claiming Noye's conviction was "unsafe", was the evidence given at trial by the now "discredited" pathologist Michael Heath. Noye, who fled to Spain after the stabbing but was extradited in 1998, had denied murder on the grounds of self-defence. In their ruling, the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Henriques and Mr Justice Davis, said what Noye did "was not self-defence". Lord Judge said: "Rather it was a gross over-reaction in the context of a fight with an unarmed man, almost certainly consequent on the fact that the appellant was losing it." Kent Police welcomed the judges' decision. Speaking outside court, Detective Inspector Dave Withers said: "We are pleased that the court have examined the evidence that has been presented and have found that the conviction is safe. We now hope that this brings some reassurance to Stephen Cameron's family and friends."