One of two men who battered a hospital worker to death in the grounds of a Bradford cricket club has been refused permission to appeal against a life sentence imposed for the crime.

William Charlton, 23, and Carl Wood, 19, were convicted of the murder of 31-year-old Tarquin Turner at Bradford Crown Court in June 2004.

Both men were given life sentences with Judge James Stewart QC ordering Charl-ton should serve more than 14 years before he could be considered for release.

On Thursday London's Criminal Appeal Court ref-used to grant him permission to challenge the 14-year tariff.

Lord Justice Keene, sitting with Mr Justice Mackay and Mr Justice Gross, dismissed grounds for appeal relating to Charlton's young age and to claims that as the killing took place during a robbery it was wrong to treat the fact that the crime was committed for gain as an aggravating factor.

Mr Turner, of Eccleshill, was murdered in the grounds of Undercliffe CC in October 2003.

He was struck at least three times with wooden posts that had been ripped from a garden fence. He then had his mobile phone, wallet, £20, a neck chain and a packet of cigarettes stolen from his pockets as he lay dying on the ground.

Charlton, of Foston Lane, Fagley, admitted striking the first blow but denied hitting Mr Turner again.

Today, Tarquin's father Trevor Turner said: "It is good news and is closure in one way. Nobody wants to see anybody's downfall but they have ruined our lives.

"Everything they have shown and done has been evil as far as I am concerned.

"Tarquin was so small - he was only 5ft 1in."

Mr Turner, who is seeing a psychologist to help him cope with his son's death, said both men were career criminals who posed a risk to the public.

"The public should be kept apart from them," Mr Turner said. "They are paying for what they did and should serve their life sentences."

Mr Turner said he did not believe justice would ever be served for Tarquin's death.

"Justice cannot be served because of the brutality and the lack of remorse shown," he said. "There was a complete disregard for my son's life, that it ever had any value.

"I just find it difficult to reason - the idea of beating a little fella so that I can hardly recognise him just for a casual robbery."

He said his family's life had been scarred forever.

"We do not have a normal life anymore," he said.