The gunman convicted of the gun murder of Prince Edness has failed in a bid to have his murder conviction quashed.

Jaquii Pearman DeSilva was jailed for life in October 2015 for the cold-blooded killing of Mr Edness — a self-proclaimed drug dealer and known gang member.

The 21-year-old launched an appeal against his murder conviction on several grounds related to gunshot residue found by investigators and directions made by the trial judge.

But on Friday, Pearman DeSilva was told his appeal had been dismissed.

The three-strong panel found that the GSR evidence was “properly admitted” and that the trial judge “carefully explained” its limitations to the jury.

The Court of Appeal added: “The appellant called no evidence to refute the inferences that could be drawn from these various strands of evidence, either individually or collectively.”

Pearman DeSilva was told at sentencing he would spend a minimum of 35 years behind bars for the Edness murder before he could be considered for release.

Mr Edness, 29, was shot outside a Southampton house only two weeks after he walked free from court having been cleared of the 2006 murder of teenager Jason Lightbourne.

Pearman DeSilva fled the murder scene on the back of a motorbike before opening fire at police as he tried to escape.

Detectives later seized a bandana and a bike helmet that had Pearman DeSilva’s DNA and particles commonly associated with GSR at his girlfriend’s house.

Traces of the elements that make up GSR were also found in the passenger seat of a vehicle that Pearman Desilva travelled in after the shooting.

Pearman DeSilva was arrested after trying to escape from the police again by jumping off a 50ft cliff into the sea, close to the guesthouse where he had been staying.

During the trial, Detective Constable Leroy Mathurin told jurors that police suspected that Mr Edness was murdered by members of his own gang.

Mr Mathurin said: “From early in the investigation we received information that Mr Edness was murdered by his own colleagues, members of Parkside.

“The reason was because the information suggested they were of the opinion that he was giving information to the police.”

Pearman DeSilva chose not to take the stand and give evidence at his trial.

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