'Vampire' teen refused appeal bid

A vampire-obsessed teenager who killed a pensioner and drank her blood has been refused leave to appeal against his conviction for murder, it emerged today.

Mathew Hardman was 17 when he butchered Mabel Leyshon and removed her heart in a Satanic-style ritual in November 2001.

The former art student, from Anglesey, north Wales, was last year jailed for a minimum of 12 years following a trial at Mold Crown Court.

He has always denied harming the pensioner and applied for leave to appeal against the conviction.

The application was thrown out by a judge sitting on his own at the Appeal Court.

Hardman’s solicitor Michael Strain said the teenager, now 18, will continue to fight to prove his innocence.

He said: “Mathew is extremely disappointed at this latest development but he is adamant that he is innocent and he has the full support of his family.”

Mr Strain said Hardman will now seek leave to appeal the conviction at a full hearing of the Appeal Court.

He will represent the teenager for free after legal aid was refused.