THE murderer of schoolboy Jack Frew has lost a bid to have his minimum jail term cut.

Lawyers acting for Craig Roy had argued that a judge's ruling that he must serve at least 18 years under a life sentence imposed for the crime was excessive.

However, Lord Clarke, sitting with Lord Brodie at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, said: "We have reached the conclusion the appeal against sentence must be refused."

The judges will give their reasons for the decision at a later date.

Roy, now aged 20, was convicted of murdering Jack, 16, in a frenzied attack in woods in East Kilbride on May 6, 2010.

The 17-year-old armed himself with a knife before going to meet his victim. He stabbed Jack 20 times and slit his throat.

Roy was in a relationship with Christopher Hannah but had sexual contact with Jack, his fellow pupil at Duncanrig secondary school in the South Lanarkshire town.

Roy stood trial for murder and was convicted after a jury at the High Court in Glasgow rejected defence claims he should be convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the ground of diminished responsibility.

But Roy appealed against the minimum term imposed on him with his solicitor advocate John Scott, QC, arguing that, when compared with other cases, the punishment part did "look out of place".

Mr Scott said there was a degree of premeditation in the circumstances but not for what happened.