Appeal judges throw out murderer's appeal

At Douglas Courthouse yesterday Judge of Appeal Tattersall told 46-year-old Ian Anderson he, and Deemster Doyle, had not been persuaded to interfere. 

 

The former Castletown resident was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum tariff of 15 years, in April following a five week jury trial. 

 

He was found guilty of murdering his wife's lover 60-year-old Neil Roberts - the Ballabeg man's body was found at Anderson's home on Queen Street on December 1st 2013. 

 

Appearing before the Court of Appeal Anderson's advocate argued that the trial had been "so unfair on the defendant that the murder conviction cannot stand". 

 

He claimed that Anderson had been deprived of the opportunity to put forward his partial defences and invited the deemsters to reduce the conviction to manslaughter. 

 

However the prosecution argued against this saying it was a fair trial and the defendant had been "properly convicted of murder". 

 

The full judgement will follow in due course.