The men who murdered Aquil Richardson had their appeals dismissed yesterday news welcomed by the victim's mother.

Antoine Anderson and brother-in-law Philip Bradshaw were found guilty a year ago of carrying out the execution-style shooting on Boxing Day 2007.

Bradshaw, a Jamaican, pumped two bullets into the 30-year-old victim's head at point-blank range as he stood in a yard in Southampton.

Bradshaw was on the back of a motorcycle ridden by Anderson, who was convicted because he aided the crime by being the getaway rider.

The Chief Justice sentenced them to a minimum 15 years behind bars for what he described as a "callous killing."

News that the Court of Appeal had dismissed their attempt to get their convictions overturned was greeted with relief from Mr. Richardson's mother yesterday. Shahidah Abdur-Rahim is currently being treated for a brain tumour and returned to Bermuda from Lahey Clinic in Boston on Monday the day the appeal began.

"I'm pleased because I really didn't feel like going through this (trial) again," she said.

Ms Abdur-Rahim said the appeal added to the stress she's already enduring. Doctors told her she's had the brain tumour for around eight years, but she only started experiencing symptoms after her son was killed.

"I'm feeling very tired and resting and I can't go back to work yet. I'm on a lot of medication," she explained.

Among the arguments raised by Bradshaw and Anderson's lawyers during their appeal were that junior prosecutor Takiyah Burgess posted comments on Facebook during Anderson's testimony, labelling him a liar.

Shade Subair, for Anderson, 31, and Marc Daniels, for Bradshaw, 27, argued the case should have been thrown out as there was a risk a juror could have seen the comments and been negatively influenced.

The judges said there was not enough of a risk and Ms Abdur-Rahim agrees.

"I don't think any of the jurors were on Facebook anyway because of their ages and who they were," she told The Royal Gazette after the appeal.

Ms Subair also claimed the jury could have been prejudiced by evidence labelling Anderson as a dangerous and bad individual.

And in his submissions, Mr. Daniels said it was unfair to Bradshaw that a covert tape recording of him talking to his wife while on remand in Westgate was played to the jury. He pointed out that the tape was of poor quality, with much of it inaudible. Bradshaw spoke in Jamaican patois on the tape as he asked his wife for news about case. The jury had help from an expert in order to interpret what he was saying.

Mr. Daniels said while there was no confession or discussion of the murder, the tape was "highly prejudicial" and the translation was disputed by Bradshaw. However, the three appeal judges said it was within the right of the prosecution to play it. They also rejected the other arguments put forward by the defence lawyers, and said it was not necessary to hear prosecutor Carrington Mahoney reply to them.

President of the court Edward Zacca said the appeal was dismissed, and the convictions and sentences affirmed. The reasons for the decision will be given in writing later.