Farmer Tony Martin - who has served three years in jail for killing a teenage burglar - is "very depressed" about the decision to deny him early parole, according to his local MP.

Henry Bellingham, the MP for North West Norfolk, said he had spoken to Martin, who on Thursday was denied parole from Highpoint Prison in Suffolk.

"He (Martin) is very depressed," Mr Bellingham told the BBC.

"He is very concerned that a probation officer did make some unhelpful remarks about the fact he is not showing remorse."

Now he just wants to get on and rebuild his life Henry Bellingham, North West Norfolk MP

Martin, 58, of Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, one of 22 prisoners who submitted requests for parole consideration on Thursday, is scheduled for release on 28 July.

Mr Bellingham said: "He was calm and collected, but very disappointed.

"I think he is going to fight back.

"He knows he should have had parole.

"We all know he should have had parole.

Illegal gun

"Now he just wants to get on and rebuild his life."

The farmer has always claimed he acted in self-defence when he shot dead 16-year-old Fred Barras, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, and injured another man with an illegally-held pump-action shotgun in 1999.

They had broken into his near-derelict farmhouse Bleak House, near Wisbech, where Martin had removed part of a staircase to hinder intruders.

Martin's conviction for murder in 2000 caused massive controversy, and raised issues about rural crime and the rights of householders to protect their property.

On appeal, Martin's murder conviction was reduced to manslaughter and his sentence cut to five years.