A man who tried to murder a 10-year-old girl because he "wanted to see what it was like to kill someone" lost his appeal against a life sentence today.

A young man on trial for the attempted murder and attempted sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl denied he had anything to do with it when confronted by the girl's neighbour shortly after the incident.

An 11-year old schoolgirl today told the Central Criminal Court she thought she was going to die when a man allegedly tied a lace around her neck and twisted it as she lay on the ground in a field.