Killer's appeal rejected

Lawyers for convicted murderer Alun Kyte told a court that he had made "impressive progress" since being jailed for life 13 years ago.

Kyte's legal team argued he had undertaken "important rehabilitative work" while behind bars and appealed for his sentence to be cut by five years.

Kyte, aged 43, from Stafford, was given a minimum-term sentence of 25 years at Nottingham Crown Court in 2000, but appealed to the High Court to have this reduced to 20.

But Mr Jusice Cranston told the court that Kyte "has accepted his culpability in relation to Tracey Turner's murder but he denies any involvement in the murder of Samo Paull."

He added:

A convicted killer from Stafford jailed for murdering two prostitutes has failed in an appeal to have his 25-year minimum sentence cut.

Alun Kyte, aged 49, was jailed for life in March 2000 and told he must serve a minimum of 25 years before he could apply for parole. He went to the High Court in London to argue this was "too long" and should be reduced to 20.

But the judge told him he had not made enough progress while in prison for his appeal to be approved.

Kyte was convicted of murdering Samo Paull and Tracey Turner in 2000.

The body of Ms Paull, 20, was found in a roadside ditch in Leicestershire in December 1993. She had been strangled.

Ms Turner, 30, was found in March 1994 on the grass verge bordering a country lane near Bitteswell, around six miles from where Ms Paull's body was found. She had also been strangled.