Van Colle's murderer loses appeal

Daniel Brougham, 34, shot dead Mr Van Colle outside his practice on November 22 2000, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in March last year (News, March 8, 2002).
Mr Brougham claimed that he was at home at the time of the murder, Barnet & Potters Bar Times reported (May 23).
Employed as a laboratory technician at Mr Van Colle's practice in Mill Hill, North London, Mr Brougham was reportedly caught stealing optical equipment.
After the optometrist went to the police, Mr Van Colle received threatening telephone calls demanding that he drop the case, and his car was set on fire.
Mr Van Colle was to be a key witness in Mr Brougham's fraud and theft trial, but he was murdered days before he could give evidence against his former employee.
Last month Andrew Munday QC told the Appeal Court that the trial judge should not have allowed evidence from people due to testify at the theft trial to be submitted. However, the three Appeal Court judges disagreed, and Lord Justice Rose said it had been 'a planned killing' as the optometrist had no other enemies.