'Yardie' loses murder appeal

Denton became obssessed with the woman he killed

A police informer who murdered a woman has failed to overturn his conviction at appeal.

Delroy Denton, a so-called "Yardie" gangster, was jailed for life in July 1996 after murdering 24-year-old Marcia Lawes in London.

At the time Denton was a paid informer on the books of SO11, Scotland Yard's criminal intelligence division.

He was also on the run from the law in his native Jamaica, and was linked to the killing of seven women on the island.

Denton, a known Jamaican gangster, claimed political asylum to stay in the UK before he started supplying information to the Metropolitan police.

Marcia Lawes was raped and stabbed 18 times

During his trial the jury was told he broke into Miss Lawes' Brixton flat after developing a fixation with the trainee beautician, and then raped her and stabbed her 18 times.

At the Court of Appeal on Friday, Denton claimed his conviction was "unsafe" because the Crown's lawyers failed to disclose his informer status to his defence team at the trial.

His informer status had in fact been "leaked" to the press before his trial and Denton claimed this too should have been revealed by the prosecution to the trial judge, defence lawyers and him personally.

Lord Justice Mantell said the case raised "the very strong suspicion that the media had been fed with information by someone closely connected with SO11 at Scotland Yard."

But, dismissing Denton's appeal, the judge said the evidence against him had been compelling and the guilty verdict "inevitable".

'Overwhelming guilt'

Lord Justice Mantell said Denton was paid for the information he provided police "but there is no doubt that he was playing a very dangerous game".

Denton was first arrested on suspicion of Miss Lawes' murder on 28 June 1995 but the case against him was later discontinued and he was released on 1 November that year.

The murder inquiry was resumed later the same month and Denton was re-arrested on 23 December.

Lord Mantell concluded: "We think that even at the stage when proceedings were discontinued the evidence of guilt was overwhelming."

Denton was refused permission to appeal further to the House of Lords.