Man loses teenager murder appeal

Nicholas Rose targeted the teenager for sex at a party

A man jailed for life for murdering 16-year-old Charlotte Pinkney in a north Devon resort has lost his appeal against conviction.

Scaffolder Nicholas Rose was jailed for at least 20 years last year, for murdering Charlotte in Ilfracombe. Her body has not been found.

Lawyers for Rose, 24, said Charlotte was seen alive more than 12 hours after she was alleged to have been murdered.

But judges at the Court of Appeal in London rejected the claim.

The evidence came from postman Nick Perrin and 18-year-old Poppy Humphries, who both told the court they saw Charlotte in the Victoria Hotel, Ilfracombe, on the afternoon of Saturday 28 February, 2004.

Charlotte Pinkney's body has not been found

Charlotte was alleged to have been murdered by Rose in the early hours of that day after he targeted her for sex and the encounter went wrong.

Rose, of Cairn Road, Ilfracombe, claimed he had dropped Charlotte off outside the town's community centre after giving her a lift from the party.

But The Court of Appeal judges said on Friday there was ample evidence the witnesses were mistaken in their recollection.

They also rejected an argument that the trial judge wrongly allowed prejudicial evidence to be given and made inappropriate comments in his summing-up.

DNA evidence

Rose was found guilty at Exeter Crown Court in February last year after a six-week trial.

The prosecution's case against Rose was based, among other things, on DNA evidence. Prosecutors said:

Charlotte's blood was found inside the car he had driven and on one of his trainers

A button of the type used on her trousers' waistband as found in the vacuum cleaner Rose used to clean the car

A piece of black elastic, consistent with a thong Charlotte was wearing, was found under the passenger seat.