'Near-moronic bully' fails in jail term bid

A "near-moronic" bully who murdered his cellmate at a Shropshire young offenders' institution has failed in his bid to have his minimum jail term reduced at London's High Court.

Terence Rooney, 31, was jailed for life and ordered to spend at least 18 years behind bars after being convicted of murdering Christopher Greenaway at Stoke Heath Young Offenders' Institution, near Market Drayton.

Rooney, from Liverpool's criminal underclasses, had also tried to kill another of his cellmates, John Jones, and was found guilty of attempted murder.

After reviewing the case at the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Hamblen rejected arguments that Roo-ney's tariff should be cut to 14 years. The judge heard that "immature" Rooney continued to bully fellow prisoners and involves himself with drug dealers.

And he said that he posed a high risk of harm to fellow inmates.

The court heard Mr Greenaway had suffered verbal and physical abuse at the hands of Rooney in the days leading up to his death.

On October 2, 1995, Mr Greenaway was found hanged in the cell he shared with Rooney. It was the Crown's case that he had either been overpowered or assisted in his death by Rooney.

On March 9, 1995, Rooney had tried to kill Mr Jones.

His trial judge described him as a "near-moronic" bully who was "heartless and vicious", observing that "evil is firmly ingrained in this young man and always will be".