TRACIE Andrews, jailed for life for murdering the fiance she claimed was the victim of a
road rage attack, had her freedom plea thrown out in the Appeal Court yesterday.
TRACIE Andrews, jailed for life for murdering the fiance she claimed was the victim of a
road rage attack, had her freedom plea thrown out in the Appeal Court yesterday.
Three judges dismissed an appeal against conviction by Andrews, 29, who denied stabbing Lee Harvey more that 30 times. She was convicted of the killing by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court in July 1997.
Blonde Andrews claimed she was the victim of a miscarriage of justice because of “damaging” publicity surrounding her case, and had urged the court to find her conviction “unsafe”.
But the judges, who reserved judgement last week after listening to legal arguments,
rejected her claim. The court pointed to the evidence against Andrews, including the
fact that her hair was covered with Mr Harvey's blood, indicating she must have been
near him when his throat was slashed.
Andrews was brought to court, but waived her right to appear before the judges. The former model and barmaid was found beside 25-year-old Mr Harvey's body near Alvechurch, Worcestershire, in December 1996.
Andrews claimed her fiance had been murdered in a road rage attack by a “fat man with staring eyes”, and made a public appeal for witnesses to identify the killer's car.
The prosecution's case was that the knifed Mr Harvey during a row and then concocted a story.