The Court of Appeal has rejected an attempt to increase the jail term of a Coalville man who murdered his girlfriend.

Ross McCullam was found guilty of murdering Megan Newborough, 23, last year and jailed for life.

ITV reports he throttled and cut the throat of his colleague, who he had been dating for less than a month, in an incident at his parents' home on August 6, 2021.

McCullam was told he would serve at least 23 years before parole could be considered.

The BBC reports that judges turned down the solicitor general's appeal to increase the minimum term today (Tuesday).

Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson intervened in the case, arguing the original sentence, given at Leicester Crown Court in December, had seemed "unduly lenient".

In the Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers said the original trial judge had failed to recognise the murder was sexually motivated.

But Lord Justice Holroyde, sitting with Mr Justice Hilliard and Mr Justice Chamberlain, decided not to increase McCullam's sentence, concluding they were "not persuaded that there is any basis in which it can be said that the judge fell into error".

McCullam, 30, and Miss Newborough, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, were colleagues who had been in a relationship in the weeks up to her death.

Megan Newborough. Photo issued by Megan's family via Leicestershire Police

The court heard the pair had arranged to meet at McCullam's home in Windsor Close, off Greenhill Road.

After Miss Newborough arrived, McCullam strangled her, slashed her throat 14 times with a knife before bundling her into her own car and driving to a secluded spot, near Woodhouse Eaves, where he dumped her in undergrowth.

McCullam admitted Miss Newborough's manslaughter but had denied murdering her.

He initially admitted manslaughter, and claimed he could not be guilty of murdering Miss Newborough because he acted after a loss of control.

McCullam tried to blame Miss Newborough, claiming he went into a 'volcano of rage' set up by undiagnosed PTSD caused by unreported childhood sexual abuse.

But he was convicted of murder following a six-week trial.

McCullam, who followed the hearing from prison by video-link, simply nodded when told his sentence would not change.

Lord Justice Holroyde told several members of Miss Newborough's family who attended court that the appeal judges' ruling did not mean her murder "was anything other than a dreadful crime", but they had to decide cases "in accordance with law".

Miss Newborough's family issued a statement in December following McCullam's sentencing.