A PINEHURST man who carried out a violent raid on a post office has failed to overturn his conviction at London's Criminal Appeal Court.

Brendon Nangle, 41, sparked an international manhunt when he fled the country after he stole goods worth thousands of pounds from South Marston Post Office in January 1989.

He lived in Europe, then moved on to Canada before he was eventually arrested at Glasgow airport as he flew en route to Ireland.

Nangle was then convicted of robbery at Swindon Crown Court in 1998 and was jailed for 12 years. Accomplice Sean Curtis-Cody admitted his involvement in the robbery and took no part in the appeal.

Three top judges, Lord Justice Roch, Mr Justice Turner and Mr Justice Pitchford, dismissed the grounds of appeal put forward on Nangle's behalf during a three-day hearing.

But the court heard the former plasterer still has one last "get out of jail" card to play. His legal team claim that his arrest in Scotland amounted to an unlawful extradition and that means his 1998 crown court appearance was an "abuse of process".

That final challenge to his conviction has been adjourned until more evidence from the Canadian authorities can be obtained.

Nangle's appeal against the length of his sentence has also been adjourned until a later date.

The 1989 robbery was on a post office in which Mrs Rasul lived with her husband Ali and their two young children. Two masked raiders entered as Mrs Rasul was with her ten-year-old son in the downstairs part of the post office. They threatened her with a pick axe handle before binding and gagging her and her son. The frightened pair were subjected to death threats and tied up with their dressing gown belts while tape was used gag them.

Nangle's appeal against conviction was based on criticisms of his legal team at the crown court, with which he dispensed in the midst of his trial.

Nangle's appeal against conviction was based on criticisms of his legal team at the Crown Court, with which he dispensed in the midst of the trial.

Dismissing that ground of appeal, Lord Justice Roth said Nangle proved to be an unsatisfactory witness during his trial.