A court hearing an appeal by a man serving a life sentence for starting a fire that killed 15 young backpackers, including one Irish girl, in eastern Australia was today told that his confession was not made under duress.

Sensational publicity about a man arrested and charged over a hostel fire in Australia that killed 15 young backpackers - including Limerick woman Julie O'Keeffe - created “universal revulsion” and poisoned any chance he had of a fair trial, his lawyer told an appeal court Tuesday.