The High Court dismissed the judicial review challenge

Andrew Cole, 32, from Llandrindod Wells has twice been convicted of knifing Fiona Ovis, 28 and 18-year-old William Crompton to death at a house in the town.

He was originally found guilty at a 1997 trial at Chester Crown Court, but his convictions were later quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Cole was then found guilty of the murders for a second time after a retrial and he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

After the first trial, the minimum number of years he had to spend behind bars before being considered for parole was set at 11 years by the then Home Secretary, Jack Straw.

The murders took place in Llandrindod Wells

This was raised to 15 years after the retrial.

During the latest appeal at London's High Court, Cole's lawyers argued the increase was 'unlawful' because the 1968 Criminal Appeal Act states those convicted following a retrial cannot receive a longer sentence than they did first time around.

But on Thursday, Lord Justice Rose, sitting with Mr Justice Henriques, dismissed Cole's judicial review challenge, and dashed his hopes of having the tariff reduced by four years.

This means that Cole, who is detained at Broadmoor maximum security hospital, will not be considered for parole until 2011.

Cole was convicted for the savage killing of Miss Ovis and Mr Crompton after he found them together at a bungalow on the Pentrofa Estate in Llandrindod Wells.

At the first trial, the court heard he was overcome by a jealous rage.

But his conviction was quashed after Appeal Court judges were told his deep-seated personality disorder hadn't been fully explored.