Gangster Kenneth Noye, who killed a man in a road rage attack in Kent, has launched a high court battle to be moved to an open prison.

The 69-year-old was locked up in 2000 for stabbing 21-year-old Stephen Cameron in 1996 at the M25 Swanley Interchange.

He was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years.

Noye was locked up for killing Mr Cameron, 21, in front of his fianceé Danielle Cable, then 17, after the couple got into an argument with him.

Mr Cameron was stabbed in the heart and liver as Ms Cable screamed for help.

A manhunt was launched for Noye, who fled to Spain. He was extradited in 1999 and sentenced to life at the Old Bailey in April 2000.

Ms Cable was put in a witness protection programme, meaning she can only see her family twice a year.

A judge in London is now being asked to rule on whether the rejection decision was "unlawful and irrational".

In 2013 and 2015 Noye unsuccessfully appealed against his life sentence.

In 2015 the Parole Board declined to order his release, but recommended that he be transferred to open conditions.

But the board's recommendation was rejected by the then justice secretary Michael Gove.

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Noye, told Mr Justice Lavender in the High Court that the tariff period had now been served, and the "sole issue is the issue of risk".

He argued that the Secretary of State had failed to give proper or adequate weight to the recommendation of the Parole Board.

Career criminal Noye a history of violence. In 1985, Noye also stabbed undercover police officer John Fordham to death in the grounds of his home in West Kingsdown.

He was cleared of murder when he claimed the 11 wounds he inflicted were in self-defence.

In 1983 Noye, from Bexleyheath, was also involved with the prolific Brink’s-Mat bullion robbery.

Armed men posing as security guards entered the Brinks-Mat security vault at Heathrow Airport. The six-man gang doused a guard with petrol and threatened to set him alight unless he opened a vault. They escaped with £26 million in gold bullion and diamonds.

Eleven gold bars were found and Noye was jailed for 14 years for handling stolen goods. He served eight, and was incarcerated between 1986 and 1994.

Most of the gold is still missing.