Parsons Green Bomber Ahmed Hassan Has Appeal Bid Rejected

Asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan, who planted the Parsons Green tube bomb which injured 51 passengers, has had a bid to challenge his conviction thrown out.

Hassan watched proceedings via video link from prison as three judges in London dismissed his application for permission to appeal.

Sir Brian Leveson, Mr Justice Nicol and Sir Brian Keith, sitting at the Court of Appeal, allowed a sentence challenge by the defendant to a “limited extent”, ruling that 182 days spent on remand should be taken off his 34-year minimum jail term.

Hassan’s conviction application centred on the admissibility of psychological evidence at his trial.

Sir Brian said the court had reviewed a “considerable body of material” before concluding that the conviction challenge should be refused.

Hassan, now thought to be 19-years-old, was last year convicted at the Old Bailey of attempted murder.

Armed with a 400g device made of volatile “Mother of Satan” explosives packed in a bucket with more than 2kg of screwdrivers, knives, nuts and bolts, Hassan plotted to cause chaos in central London.

The Old Bailey heard he wanted to bring about “maximum” carnage to avenge the death of his father, who was killed in an explosion in Iraq more than 10 years ago.

Hassan denied this, instead stating that he only wanted to make a fire to fulfil a “fugitive fantasy” to be chased by Interpol.

However, judge Mr Justice Haddon-Cave told him he had been found guilty on “overwhelming evidence”.