Kevin Lane loses appeal against Robert Magill murder conviction

Kevin Lane was released in January after 18 years in prison

A convicted murderer who spent two decades in prison for a crime he denies committing has failed in his bid to clear his name.

Kevin Lane, 47, was jailed for shooting dead car dealer Robert Magill in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire in 1994.

Lane always said he was innocent and claimed a corrupt detective meant his conviction was unsafe. He took his case to the Court of Appeal last month.

But a judge said his arguments were "speculative" and rejected his appeal.

Lane's barrister told the court the detective who dealt with the case, Det Supt Chris Spackman, was "spectacularly corrupt".

He was jailed in 2003 for plotting to steal £160,000 from Hertfordshire Police, the Court of Appeal heard.

Robert Magill was shot five times as he walked his dog in Rickmansworth

Lawyers argued his "reckless dishonesty" meant Lane's conviction for murder was "manifestly unsafe".

Lady Justice Rafferty told the hearing: "The arguments are generalised criticism of Spackman's corrupt and dishonest behaviour.....which was adverse to Kevin Lane.

"We are not persuaded that the safety of the conviction is in doubt and this application is rejected."