DISGRACED former Kidderminster Harriers footballer, Lee Hughes, will stay behind bars after losing his right to appeal against his six-year jail sentence.

The former £15,000-a-week West Bromwich Albion striker was jailed last August at Coventry Crown Court for causing the death of Douglas Graham in a car crash.

A judge ended the footballer's hopes of rebuilding his shattered career by having his sentence cut after ruling there were insufficient grounds for appeal.

Hughes, from Smethwick, Birmingham, fled the scene of the crash, failed to report the incident to the police and went on the run for 36 hours, leaving Mr Graham dying.

The 56-year-old was a rear-seat passenger in a car which was hit by Hughes's £100,000 Mercedes in Coventry.

His wife, Maureen, who survived the accident and had planned to sue the footballer, died at her home in December.