A RAPPER jailed for life for gunning down a man in Chingford has had an appeal against his conviction turned down.

Carl Dobson, 24, of Stratford, also known as grime rap star Crazy Titch, was found guilty of murdering 21-year-old Richie Holmes.

Mr Holmes was shot repeatedly in November 2005 after he was cornered in Greenham Crescent, in the Chingford Hall estate, following a bitter row about song lyrics penned by garage star Shaha Shah, which Dobson considered disrespectful to his half-brother Dwayne Mahorn, a rapper who goes by the name of Durrty Goodz.

The lyrics of a track recorded by Mr Shah said: "Over the years things change in the 'hood, I used to have a lot of respect for Durrty Goodz....not no more."

Because of the lyrics, Mr Shah was locked in his car and an apology demanded.

Mr Holmes later protested at his treatment and Dobson and his accomplice Anthony Green decided to track down Mr Shah's associates.

Mr Holmes was surrounded and shot in the leg, arm and back. The fatal shot to the back, which passed through his heart was fired from a revolver.

Lord Justice Keene said at Thursday's Appeal Court hearing that the prosecution accepted that another man had fired the revolver shot that ended Mr Holmes' life.

But the prosecution said Dobson fired shots from a sub-machine gun, citing eye witness evicdence that he was present with a deadly weapon.

Green, of Loughton, was also present at the murder scene, it was alleged, and both men were guilty of murder on the basis of their joint involvement in the crime.

Both Green and Dobson appealed their convictions on the grounds that the jury's verdicts were flawed.

After an hour in court, Lord Keene rejected their arguments and dismissed claims that evidence of past criminality by both men should not have been put before the jury.

Both Green and Dobson have had previous convictions for firearms-related offences.

Lord Keene said that the trial judge's decision to admit the evidence of past convictions could not be faulted.

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