The man accused of the body-in-the-suitcase killing of teenager Terry Edmonds should face a third trial, a court has ruled.

Two juries have previously failed to reach verdicts on whether homeless Philip Bell murdered the 17-year-old and hid her body at a disused car park, where he slept rough, in Tunbridge Wells.

Bell's lawyers submitted it would "oppressive and unfair" to go against legal convention and try him for a third time.

But on Wednesday, a judge decided it was "in the public interest and interests of justice that there be one further opportunity to achieve a positive decision from a jury one way or the other".

Alun Jenkins, QC for Bell, 22, was granted leave to challenge the decision in London's Court of Appeal. The hearing is not expected to take place until the autumn.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, said if there was to be a further trial it would be on January 12 next year.