A former fugitive who helped torture a dad to death in front of his own family has launched an appeal against his conviction for murder.
Christopher Guest More Jr, now 44, fled the UK after a gang of underworld thugs murdered Brian Waters and battered a second man.
More Jr was eventually arrested in Malta 16 years later and later charged with murder.
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Last month he was found guilty of murder and jailed for life - but now he has launched an appeal against his conviction.
A spokesperson for the Court of Appeal confirmed that More Jr lodged an application to appeal his conviction. The spokesperson added the application was in the 'early stages of the appeal process.'
More Jr, who grew up in Lymm near Warrington, flew to Spain from John Lennon Airport days after the gangland murder.
He later became one of the UK's most wanted men, and was the subject of regular appeals for information about his whereabouts.
Last year Chester Crown Court was told Mr Waters owed a £20,000 debt to drug dealer John Wilson, who organised for a gang to lie in wait for him at a farmhouse in June 2003.
On his arrival Mr Waters was then tied up, suspended upside down and attacked with a metal bar and industrial staple gun.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour described the pain Mr Waters must have suffered during the three hour ordeal as "excruciating".
More Jr was ordered to serve life with minimum term of 24 years.
He was found guilty of the murder of Mr Waters and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm to Mr Razak on Thursday. Jurors took just over 12 hours to reach their verdicts.
In 2004 John Wilson and James Raven were jailed for torturing both Mr Waters and Suleman Razak, who worked at the cannabis farm.
In 2007, Otis Matthews was found guilty of the same offences.
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