Submarine killer loses sentencing appeal

Danish submarine inventor Peter Madsen, who was convicted of torturing and murdering Swedish reporter Kim Wall last year, has lost an appeal against his life sentence.

Madsen listened quietly as Judge Jan Uffe Rasmussen read out the ruling by the Eastern High Court in Copenhagen, which came shortly after he apologised to the victim’s family. Judge Rasmussen said the High Court had reached the same conclusion as the Copenhagen City Court, which sentenced Madsen to life in April after convicting him of murder. In Denmark, a life sentence equates to 16 years on average but can be extended. Madsen, 47, had wanted a time-limited sentence, not an open-ended prison term.

The prosecutor had argued that the life sentence should be upheld, saying the motive was sexual and the crime was planned.

Madsen stood up to hear the sentence and was motionless as Judge Rasmussen read out the ruling.