A top judge says the family of those slaughtered by hammer killer Michael Stone deserve "finality" after throwing out yet another bid by the Kent murderer to have his convictions quashed.

Former drug addict Stone bludgeoned Dr Lin Russell and her two young daughters after setting upon them in a Chillenden country lane in 1996.

Stone, formerly of Skinner Street, Gillingham, was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years behind bars after he was convicted of two counts of murder and one of attempted murder after a retrial in February 2001.

He failed in a challenge of his convictions at the Appeal Court in 2005 and the Criminal Cases Review Commission also dismissed his complaints in 2009.

Now a senior judge at London's High Court has rejected calls by Stone for a full judicial review of Kent Police's refusal to give him access to DNA evidence - which he claims could reveal "the true killer".

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said the request – made by a forensic analyst instructed by the killer in March last year – was nothing more than a "fishing expedition" that would not come "within a mile" of casting doubt on Stone's guilt.

Stone tied up and savagely battered Dr Russell and her six-year-old daughter, Megan, and tried to kill Megan's nine-year-old sister, Josie, who made a miraculous recovery.

Despite several failed bids to challenge his convction, Stone last year sought to resurrect his case by asking a forensic expert to examine towel strips used to tie up the Russells during the murder, claiming "the true killer" might have left traces on them, the judge added.

Kent Police said it would be willing to let the expert see the material after they received a written request.

However, the force's Serious Crime Directorate then refused disclosure last July insisting there was "no legal basis" as Stone had exhausted all routes of appeal.

"The family of the victims and the victim of the attempted murder are entitled to finality. This should be an end to the matter..." - Mr Justice Haddon-Cave

Stephen Cragg QC, for Stone, argued Kent Police created a "legitimate expectation" it would hand over the material, which he said might contain the DNA of other suspects.

Rejecting the appeal, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave concluded: "The case does not come within a mile of satisfying the criteria. The request was nothing more than a fishing expedition.

"The jury at the retrial were well aware and told that there was no DNA evidence linking Stone. The jury convicted him, nonetheless, on the evidence which the Criminal Court of Appeal were entirely satisfied with.

"The family of the victims and the victim of the attempted murder are entitled to finality. There have been two trials, two appeals, an unsuccessful application to the CCRC, an unsuccessful challenge to the Divisional Court. This should be an end to the matter."