Mark Dixie - convicted last year of the murder of model Sally Anne Bowman - has failed in a bid to clear his name at the Court of Appeal.

The 38-year-old chef left the partially naked blonde teenager's body in a pool of blood outside her Croydon home in September 2005, after stabbing her ten times, then sexually attacking her while she was either dead or dying.

Today Dixie urged top judges Lord Justice Stanley Burnton, Mr Justice Treacy and Mrs Justice Slade, to give him permission to appeal against his conviction.

Throughout his Old Bailey trial last year, Dixie, of no fixed abode, maintained his innocence. He claimed to have come across Sally Anne's prone body and had sex with her body before realising that she was dead.

However, the jury disbelieved him and he was convicted of murder in February last year. He was jailed for life and ordered to spend at least 34 years behind bars.

Lord Justice Burnton said the "dreadful" murder happened as Miss Bowman was heading back to her home after a night out with friends.

He said her neighbours heard screams at about 4.20am, but her body was not discovered until 6.30am.

She had suffered a total of ten stab wounds, including one to the right side of her neck, two to her abdomen and a fatal wound to her carotid artery. She also had bite marks on her body.

Miss Bowman's mother, Linda, and her 26-year-old sister, Nicole Chiddy, sat in the public gallery to listen today as Lord Justice Burnton told the court that Dixie believed his trial had been unfairly biased because jurors were allowed to hear evidence of his bad character.

But, as the judge ruled Dixie's application "entirely without merit", both breathed a sigh of relief.

The judge said Dixie's argued that evidence relating to 1988 convictions for indecent assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm should never have been allowed to go before the jury.

Prosecutors argued it showed "a propensity" for sexual violence.

Dixie's also argued too much weight had been placed on those past convictions, but Lord Justice Burnton ruled: "None of those matters avail this applicant in any way.

"This application is entirely without merit and is dismissed."

Outside court, Sally Anne's sister, Nicole Chiddy, said the family had only discovered last week that Dixie would be launching an appeal. She said they all lived in constant fear that Dixie would win and be released.

"I just wish he would leave us alone now. He got what he deserved.

"I hope this is the final chapter. It's devastating and brings it all back again.

"To have to hear all that again is unfair. I just want him to leave us alone," she said.