A MURDERER serving life behind bars for his role in the brutal killing of a taxi driver while out celebrating a friend's 21st birthday has failed in a High Court bid for an earlier shot at parole.

Jason Power, aged 42, was one of four passengers - including the birthday boy, Mark Anthony Baker - who were returning home in Tariq Javed's taxi following a night out in Bury in November 2000.

Things turned nasty when the passengers tried to run away without paying and Mr Javed remonstrated with them.

The driver was dragged from his taxi and savagely kicked and stamped on before Baker got into the car and - with Power beside him - reversed it over the driver's body.

They then drove to the grounds of a nearby hospital and the car was set on fire. Mr Javed died in hospital from his injuries.

Power, of Cross Lane, Radcliffe, and Baker were both jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court in October 2001 after being convicted of the cabbie's murder.

His minimum term was set by the then Home Secretary at 15 years, which he will have to serve in full before he can even be considered for parole.

However, he took his case to the High Court, in London, asking one of the country's most senior judges to review that minimum tariff.

His lawyers told Mr Justice Silber he has made good progress over the past 11 years and has completed training as well as showing "true remorse" and increased victim empathy.

But the judge refused to alter the tariff, saying 15 years was the "appropriate term" in all the circumstances of the case.

He added: "In my view, the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors, particularly as this was a murder linked with the robbery of a motor car and that Power played a dominant role in these offences."