Nicole Waterhouse murder: Killer loses conviction appeal bid

Jeremy Green repeatedly stabbed Nicole Waterhouse and Karen Browne in their own home

A former Army officer who stabbed an estate agent to death while holding her and a colleague hostage has failed in a bid to overturn his conviction.

Jeremy Green admitted murdering Nicole Waterhouse and attempting to murder Karen Browne at their flat in York in October 2013.

Police said Green had subjected the women to more than eight hours of "extremely brutal attacks".

The Court of Appeal rejected a claim he had suffered an "abnormality of mind".

Green, now 32, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 34 years in April 2014.

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At a Court of Appeal hearing, his lawyers argued his conviction was "unsafe" in light of fresh evidence that he was suffering from an "abnormality of mind" when he attacked the women.

Michael Mansfield QC, representing Green, told the court the former soldier had suffered brain damage after having a seizure as a result of heatstroke during an Army training exercise in Scotland in July 2010.

Mr Mansfield said an expert neuro-psychologist concluded in a recent report that Green's abnormality of mind "had caused or was a significant contributing factor" in his offending and that he should therefore have been able to rely on a partial defence of diminished responsibility at trial.

The appeal bid was rejected by senior judges, who said Green's lawyers at the time had decided against running such a defence in light of the fact he had acted "calmly and rationally" throughout the attacks.

Nicole Waterhouse (left) was found dead at her flat in York while Karen Browne (right) was badly injured

Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, sitting with two other judges, said the details of Green's crimes were "in some ways too terrible" to repeat.

Green, who had once been on dates with Miss Browne, stabbed both women multiple times over a period of nearly nine hours - cutting their throats and smothering them.

Miss Waterhouse, known as Nicki, had 65 different injuries, including a damaged spine, while Miss Browne almost died as a result of the attack.

Green was an officer with the Yorkshire Regiment but was dismissed from the Army after being court martialled for stealing from other officers.