A STUDENT who lived a double life as a 'modern-day Robin Hood', robbing banks and building societies, has lost his last chance of overturning his convictions.

Stephen Jackley, 28, of Sidmouth, Devon, stole thousands of pounds in a string of raids, later claiming he planned to give some of the loot to charity.

The former Worcester University undergraduate was ultimately jailed for 12 years after he admitted numerous offences at Worcester Crown Court in 2009.

They included robberies, burglary and having a firearm.

Today (Thursday), he took his case to the Court of Appeal in London, where three top judges kicked out his bid to go back on his guilty pleas.

'This hearing marks the end of the road for his challenges to the serious and extensive offending for which he was sentenced in 2009,' said Mr Justice Knowles.

Jackley's failed appeal bid came only a day after he had another case kicked out of the High Court, under the same roof and only a few yards from the Court of Appeal.

The troubled Asperger's sufferer wanted to sue the government for barring him from serving part of his sentence under curfew at home, but was refused by another judge.

Jackley was studying at Worcester when he embarked on his crime spree in Devon, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Although he pleaded guilty and has served years of his sentence, he launched an application to the Court of Appeal.

And although he was out of time to appeal, he claimed he should be granted the chance to overturn his convictions because it was not his fault.

He said he had been unable to access facilities to prepare his appeal while in prison.

And he said further arguments should be heard about his diagnosed Asperger's Syndrome.

But Mr Justice Knowles, sitting with Lord Justice Treacy and Mrs Justice Thirlwall, said the case had already been considered on the papers by a single judge.

'The single judge was right for the reasons he gave to conclude that there was no merit in an application for permission to appeal against conviction,' he said.

'The convictions were safe.

'There's nothing to suggest his guilty pleas were other than appropriate.'

His application was refused.