Reading stabbings: Khairi Saadallah refused appeal against whole-life term

Khairi Saadallah "executed" the men as an "act of religious jihad", the Old Bailey previously heard

A terrorist who murdered three men in a Reading park has been denied permission to appeal his whole-life jail term.

Khairi Saadallah, 27, stabbed James Furlong, 36, David Wails, 49, and 39-year-old Joe Ritchie-Bennett in June last year in Forbury Gardens.

He was sentenced in January after admitting to the murders and three attempted murders.

The Court of Appeal ruled there was "no substance" to Saadallah's criticisms towards the judge who sentenced him.

(L-R) David Wails, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and James Furlong were pronounced dead at the scene

Mr Rossano Scamardella QC, representing Saadallah, had suggested the degree of premeditation and level of ideology did not reach the threshold for the whole-life order.

He told the court: "We say the judge erred in that respect."

Mr Scamardella suggested the judge should have given a life sentence with a minimum prison term, and argued the attacks were not terror-related.

But in his ruling, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said: "We have concluded there is no substance in any of the criticisms made of the judge's conclusions. In those circumstances we refuse leave to appeal..."

• Park attack killer gets whole-life jail term

• Reading attack: 'We did all we could to save them'

• Reading stabbings: Who were the victims

He added: "We are satisfied that the judge's approach cannot be faulted and there is no basis for suggesting that the whole-life order was wrong in principle or manifestly excessive."

Lord Burnett, who was sitting with Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb and Mr Justice Henshaw, added Saadallah's planning and premeditation was "clearly substantial" and rejected the argument he was suffering from mental illness at the time of the killings.

Passing sentence at the Old Bailey in January, judge Mr Justice Sweeney said it was a "rare and exceptional" case.

The court heard Islamic extremist Saadallah "executed" the men as an "act of religious jihad".

The judge added the victims "had no chance to react, let alone defend themselves".

He said he was sure the attack "involved a substantial degree of premeditation or planning" and was carried out "for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause".

On the afternoon of 20 June, the park was busy due to the first lockdown restrictions being relaxed in England.

Witness Andrew Cafe described Saadallah wielding the "biggest kitchen knife" and charging towards him shouting "Allahu Akbar".

Teacher Mr Furlong and pharmaceutical manager Mr Ritchie-Bennett each suffered a single stab wound to the neck, while scientist Mr Wails was stabbed once in the back. All three men died at the scene.

Saadallah also injured three other people - Nishit Nisudan, Patrick Edwards and Stephen Young - before he threw away the knife and fled the scene.

Four police officers who captured the terrorist were honoured for their "quick thinking and incredible courage".

PC James Packman, PC Liam King, PC Liam Steele and Sgt Iain Watkinson (l-r) received bravery awards