Levi Bellfield

Former bouncer and wheelclamper Levi Bellfield is today seeking permission to appeal against his conviction for the kidnap and murder of teenager Milly Dowler.

Lawyers for Bellfield, 43, are scheduled to make an appeal application in the Court of Appeal in London.

The application for leave to appeal will be heard by a panel of three judges - the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, Mr Justice Wyn Williams and Mr Justice Maddison.

Bellfield was given a whole life term in June 2011 after being found guilty of abducting and killing 13-year-old Milly following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Milly was snatched from the street while on her way from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002, Old Bailey jurors heard.

Her body was found six months later in a wood in Yateley Heath, Hampshire - 25 miles from Walton-on-Thames.

Experts could not say how she died.

Bellfield was already serving a whole-life term for the murders of Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, when he went on trial last year.

Trial judge Mr Justice Wilkie described him as a “cruel and pitiless killer”.

Bellfield was sentenced a day after being convicted of Milly’s murder.

He had yawned when found guilty and refused to return to the Old Bailey when the sentence was handed down.

Mr Justice Wilkie said Bellfield had “not had the courage” to come to court.

Bellfield lived 50 yards from where the youngster vanished but did not become a suspect until he was arrested by police in London for the other crimes in 2004.

Surrey Police apologised for errors which allowed Bellfield to go undetected for more than two years - during which time he killed two other women and tried to kill a third.

In 2008, he had been given a whole life term for murdering Ms McDonnell, 19, in 2003, and murdering Ms Delagrange, 22, and attempting to murder Ms Sheedy, 18, in 2004