CONVICTED killer Omar Benguit will attempt to prove his innocence at an appeal hearing in London today.

Benguit was jailed for life in February this year after being convicted of the murder of South Korean language student Jong-Ok Shin, known as Oki to friends.

It was the third time the 33-year-old, formerly of Linwood Road, Winton, has stood trial for her murder after two juries failed to reach a verdict.

Benguit was told he would have to serve 20 years behind bars before he would be considered for parole.

Today he will take his bid for freedom to the Appeal Court, where his defence team will argue it was an abuse of process to take him to trial a third time for the murder of the 26-year-old.

Ironically, today is the third anniversary of Oki's death.

The defence will also argue that prosecutors at the third trial failed to give notice of their intention to present bad character evidence against Benguit.

Moroccan-born Benguit is appealing against his conviction with the help of lawyer Giovanni Di Stefano, who has represented high-profile criminals such as Saddam Hussein and Kenneth Noye.

Speaking previously to the Daily Echo, Mr Di Stefano said: "This man is going to walk free. I am convinced that Omar Benguit is innocent. They have got the wrong man."

Oki was stabbed three times in the back as she walked home following a night out in Bournemouth town centre. She was just yards from home when she was attacked in Malmesbury Park Road, in the early hours of July 12, 2002.

She had travelled to Bournemouth to improve her English and was awaiting the results of her course when she was killed. Her parents did not attend any of the trials and only came to England to take her body back to South Korea.

See Wednesday's Daily Echo for a full report of the appeal hearing.

First published: July 12, 2005