THE family of murdered teenage model Amy Barnes have criticised her “arrogant” killer who is still refusing to admit his guilt, 12 months after being jailed for life.

Ricardo Morrison was sent to prison for a minimum 24 years last July after being found guilty of stabbing the popular 19-year-old to death.

But this week he challenged his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal.

However, Lord Justice Thomas dismissed Morrison’s appeal, saying the killer’s story was a “pack of lies”, and pointing to the “overwhelming evidence”

against him.

Morrison stormed out of the hearing after being told he would have to serve at least 24 years because the conviction was safe.

Amy’s father Andrew and wife Dawn went to London for the case.

Last night Mr Barnes said: “It was like reliving the trial and it was hard to hear some of the elements again, it was very upsetting.

“We are glad that the conviction and sentence stand, and hope that this is it now.

“He is so arrogant and I can’t understand why he does not admit what he has done.

“If he is released after 24 years he will only be in his 40s.

He still has half his life ahead of him.

“But we have had to live with losing Amy and we are being punished more than he is.”

Karyn Killiner, Amy’s mum, added: “We are relieved that he is still inside so that he can’t hurt anyone else.

“We had every confidence in the justice system that it would be OK. It is our fear that he could be released and hurt someone else.

“This is good news but this does not bring Amy back for us.

“The appeal has been something else for us to deal with.”

Morrison, aged 23, originally from Rubery, Birmingham, was convicted at Manchester Crown Court in July last year of murdering Amy at their home in Farnworth. Morrison had always denied that it was he who stabbed Miss Barnes to death, despite the evidence of her 999 call, in which she told the operator of his attack on November 8.

When, and if, he is finally released, he will remain subject to strict licence conditions for the rest of his life, with the prospect of immediate prison recall for any indiscretion or re-offending.