THE seven-foot man convicted of attempting to murder two men in Hereford last year had an appeal against his 19-year jail sentence turned down today in London.

Gary Stretch, originally from Kington, was sent to prison for his role in helping serial killer Joanna Dennehy stab Robin Bereza and John Rogers last April.

Appearing at the court of appeals for the second time, Stretch again saw his appeal dismissed.

Described as Dennehy’s “nodding dog” during the original case, the 47-year-old career criminal tried to insist he had been acting under duress.

However, his claims were dismissed this afternoon by the appeal court judge.

Stretch had been seen driving the Vauxhall Astra the couple used to cruise around Hereford looking for victims.

Dennehy stabbed Mr Rogers on a footpath just off Golden Post and minutes later, attacked Mr Bereza on Westfaling Street, while out walking his dog.

Stretch was arrested later that afternoon by a West Mercia police team while attempting to flee in the north of the county.

The pair had been tracked to Hereford from Cambridge, where Dennehy had killed Lukasz Slaboszewski, Kevin Lee, and John Chapman and dumped the bodies in a roadside ditch.

Last week the West Mercia’s police operation – Operation Dante – received an award for outstanding policing, and it was suggested that the pair cold have gone on to harm many more Herefordians had officers not responded as quickly and effectively as they did.

Dennehy, 31, received a whole-life term at the Old Bailey in February.

At her sentencing Justice Spencer called Dennehy a “cruel, calculating, selfish and manipulative serial killer.”

She was just the third woman in England to be deemed so dangerous that she can never be released, along with Myra Hindley and Rosemary West.

Stretch was raised in Herefordshire before moving to Cambridgeshire where he met Dennehy.