M25 killer Kenneth Noye loses murder sentence appeal

Kenneth Noye fled to Spain after the murder of Stephen Cameron

Road rage killer Kenneth Noye has failed in his bid to have the minimum term he must serve for murder reduced.

Noye, 63, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2000 for the stabbing of 21-year-old Stephen Cameron on the M25 at Swanley in Kent in 1996.

A High Court judge sitting at Newcastle Crown Court ordered he must spend at least 16 years in jail before he can be considered for parole.

The victim's mother, Toni Cameron, 63, said she hoped Noye would die in jail.

"It has been 14 years since Stephen was killed and the pain does not go away," she said.

"Noye is a born criminal. It will never be safe to let him free.

'No justification'

"He should spend the rest of his born days in prison. He is evil."

Noye fled to Spain after the stabbing but was extradited in 1998.

Two previous appeals by Noye, in 2001 and 2004, were also unsuccessful.

His minimum term was set at 16 years in 2002 by the then Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Tariffs are now set by judges and people who are serving a life term who were notified of their minimum term by a home secretary can apply to the High Court for a review.

The decision means Noye could be freed in six years' time because of time already spent in jail.

Giving his judgment, Mr Justice Simon said: "I have concluded on this review that there is no proper justification for reducing the minimum term.

"For this reason I set the period which must be served before the applicant can be considered for parole at 16 years.

"The period during which the applicant was held in custody, 11 months and 24 days, must be deducted from this period."

Noye had argued the tariff should be reduced to 10 years to give him credit for time spent in custody after he was arrested in Spain.

He also said he had been suffering from depression and post traumatic stress disorder in jail.

Noye murdered Mr Cameron with a knife he kept in his car as the victim's fiancee, Danielle Cable, looked on.

Noye was already well-known to police before the attack. He had been jailed for 14 years in 1986 for handling gold taken in one of the world's biggest bullion robberies, the 1983 £26m Brinks-Mat case.

Noye admitted killing an undercover detective investigating the case when he found him in shrubbery in the grounds of his home in West Kingsdown in 1985.

A jury found he had been acting in self-defence.

He also claimed self defence in the killing of Mr Cameron, but was convicted of murder by a majority of 11-1.

'Feared' criminal

The policeman who led the murder investigation, former Det Supt Nick Biddiss, said Noye was a career criminal who deserved to be behind bars.

"Noye committed an act of murder and should serve life in prison - and life should mean life.

"He received his tariff and should serve it. He seems to forget the effect he has on his victim's family.

"He's constantly making appeals to the courts and it must have a very debilitating effect on Stephen Cameron's family.

"(Noye) made a lot of money out of crime and was part of that culture in south-east London and the north Kent area.

"He was well known, well respected and well feared in the criminal fraternity.

"They were very cautious of him and will probably continue to be so."