An alternative therapist who murdered his young lover in a knife attack has failed to persuade top judges to overturn his conviction.
Christopher Newman (64), Moby House, Catford, London, stabbed his 28-year-old Co Wicklow girlfriend, Georgina Eager, 29 times in Dublin in May 2003.
At his trial he claimed self-defence and provocation and tried to paint his victim as violent and unfaithful. But he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life, with a minimum term of 14 years, at Inner London Crown Court in October 2005. The case was believed to be the first conviction in England or Wales for a murder in the Republic.
Yesterday Newman asked Lord Justice Hooper, Mr Justice Burton and Mr Justice Flaux to overturn that conviction, claiming his trial was unfair.
Ms Eager, who worked at Newman's therapy clinic in Dublin, was possibly asleep when the attack began, London's Criminal Appeal Court heard yesterday.
Lord Justice Hooper dismissed the application for permission to appeal, saying: "The learned judge gave a very full direction to the jury on the law.
"He also dealt very fully and accurately with the law as to provocation. There is no basis for any of these grounds of appeal against conviction."
The judge also threw out an application to appeal the 14-year minimum sentence. Newman, who fled to London after the murder, was arrested there for being drunk and, later, after being contacted by the Garda, the Metropolitan Police also charged him with the murder.