Emma Caldwell's killer loses bid to cut sentence

Emma Caldwell's death had been one of Scotland's most high-profile unsolved murders

The serial rapist who murdered Emma Caldwell has failed in an attempt to have his sentence reduced.

Iain Packer was found guilty earlier this year of killing the 27-year-old in remote woods near Glasgow in April 2005.

Packer, 51, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 36 years in jail before he can apply for parole.

His lawyers argued that the punishment part of the sentence was too long - but the appeal was dismissed by judges the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.

The sentence was the second longest ever handed down by a Scottish court, behind the 37-year minimum jail term given to World's End killer Angus Sinclair in 2014.

Emma Caldwell's body was found in a wood in South Lanarkshire five weeks after she was last seen in Glasgow city centre.

Packer was found guilty of Emma's murder and 32 other charges, including rapes and sexual assaults

The case was one of Scotland's most high-profile unsolved murders until a BBC Scotland investigation helped pave the way for Packer's arrest.

In February this year he was found guilty of Emma's murder and 32 other charges, including 11 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against a total of 22 women.

Police apologised for how the original inquiry was handled and admitted that Emma, her family and many other victims were let down.

An independent public inquiry into the police handling of the murder investigation has been ordered by the Scottish government.

At the Court of Criminal Appeal, lawyers for Packer, who appeared via video link from prison, argued that the 36-year term was excessive.

Defence advocate Gordon Jackson KC said: "I ask if it is acceptable in a civilised society that we say to a man in his 50s that he will not be released - regardless of what happens - until he is in his 80s?

“I say it it is not. I say that in a civilised society that is we should not be doing that.”

The appeal court judges - Lady Dorrian, Lord Matthews and Lady Wise - conferred in a huddle then returned to their seats and told Packer that the appeal was being refused.

Lady Dorrian said she and her colleagues would issue a written judgement explaining their decision in the near future.