Two murder appeals rejected

The family of a woman murdered in Cardiff in 1996, say today's decision by the Appeal Court to reject the appeal by the man convicted for killing her has ended a 16 year nightmare.

The judge dismissed John Pope's appeal against his conviction for murdering housewife Karen Skipper.

Karen's three sisters later spoke of their relief that her killer had finally been brought to justice.

Esyllt Carr reports.

The family of a woman murdered in Cardiff in 1996, say today's decision by the Appeal Court to reject the appeal by the man convicted for killing her has ended a 16 year nightmare.

The judge dismissed John Pope's appeal against his conviction for murdering housewife Karen Skipper.

Karen's three sisters later spoke of their relief that her killer had finally been brought to justice.

John Cooper, who was convicted in May 2011 of killing four people in Pembrokeshire in the 1980s has had his application to appeal the convictions rejected.

Cooper's legal team had previously claimed the jury that convicted him last year was 'profoundly misdirected' and that there was 'clear room for confusion in the jury's mind' during the trial.

His barrister questioned the comparison of how he looked in the 'Bullseye' programme footage with an artist's impression of the suspect in the killings of Peter and Gwenda Dixon.

The jury in the trial of a man convicted of killing four people in Pembrokeshire in the 1980s, were "profoundly misdirected", according to his legal team.

John Cooper, was convicted last year of shooting dead Peter and Gwenda Dixon on a coastal path in Little Haven, Pembrokeshire. He was also found guilty of murdering sister and brother Helen and Richard Thomas in their home near Milford Haven.

In today's hearing to decide if Cooper can appeal his life sentence his legal team claimed there was 'clear room for confusion in the jury's mind' during the trial.

The judgement has been reserved for two weeks.

Joanna Simpson was at the Court of Appeal in Cardiff.