Claire Tiltman's murderer is refused leave to appeal

Colin Ash-Smith who was jailed last year for the murder of Dartford schoolgirl Claire Tiltman in 1993, has been refused leave to appeal against his conviction. His lawyers argued that extracts from Ash-Smith's diary and his handwritten 'assault plans' should not have been shown to the trial jury because they were 'excessively prejudicial'. But his application to appeal was rejected.