THE MOTHER of a Gwent woman bludgeoned to death in Canada spoke of her relief last night after her daughter's killer was refused the right to appeal against his conviction.

Former Newport woman Angela Steer, 37, was murdered by William Wade Bicknell, 34, on April 11, 2001. She was beaten to death with a baseball bat at her home in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

Bicknell was convicted at the British Columbia supreme court and sentenced to life imprisonment last year after being found guilty of second degree murder.

Justice Daphne Smith recommended there be no prospect of parole for Bicknell for ten years.

Angela's parents, Alan and Marie Hood, had hoped it would bring an end to their hell after losing their daughter.

But the respite for Mr and Mrs Hood, who emigrated to Canada from Bettws in 1975, was short-lived as Bicknell appealed against his conviction just two months later in December of last year.

Yesterday Mr and Mrs Hood, who still have many relatives in Gwent, were told the news they had been waiting for: Bicknell's bid for an appeal had failed.

"I just broke down with tears of relief when I heard because we were waiting all weekend for the news," said Mrs Hood.

"We thought we may have to go through the ordeal all over again but thankfully the law was on our side.

"We have had nine months of waiting and wondering since the appeal was lodged and now we know he is going to be there for a long time. We thank the Lord for answering our prayers.

"Now we can get on with our lives. It will never be the same obviously because Angela was a wonderful girl but we can pick up and get on with things as well as we can.

"We haven't got it hanging over our heads any more and it is such a load off our minds.

"The Canadian justice system has treated us well and they know where he belongs - he is an animal."