The_man
Brett Peter Cowan kidnapped and killed 13-year-old Queensland boy Daniel Morcombe in 2003. Wikimedia Commons/Swoftylord123

Brett Peter Cowan, who was convicted in 2014 of killing Sunshine Coast teen Daniel Morcombe, will not be getting out of prison anytime soon.

The High Court of Australia on Friday rejected Cowan’s application to appeal against his conviction, following a similar dismissal by the Queensland Court of Appeal in 2014.

Cowan’s lawyers had taken their bid to the High Court on six grounds, including a ‘trial by media’ claim with fingers pointed at the ‘prejudicial media coverage’ during the trial. They also argued the time it took for police to get a confession from Cowan – eight years – was questionable and their client made an unfair target.

The High Court’s rejection to hear the case means Cowan has exhausted his legal avenues to get out of jail.

Accoding to the ABC, he cannot apply for parole until he has served at least 20 years of his life sentence.

Cowan, 46, had abducted and killed 13-year-old Morcombe in 2003, while the Queensland teen was waiting for a bus, sparking the biggest missing-person investigation in Queensland police history.

Morcombe’s remains were only discovered after Cowan was charged in 2011.

Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, said they were relieved with the High Court's ruling.

"I'm just glad it's all over now. Now we can get on with our life," Denise said to reporters outside court.

"We don't have to look in our diary and think about what's going to be happening in another court case.

"I don't have Daniel back but Cowan's in jail and hopefully I don't think he'll ever get out."

Although Cowan’s lawyer Tim Meehan said his client would “undoubtedly be disappointed with the result”, he acknowledged that the hearing was “very fair”.