Joe O'Reilly's bid to have his conviction for murdering his wife declared a miscarriage of justice has been thrown out.

The Court of Appeal stopped the case before it went to a full hearing after the Director of Public Prosecutions argued it was an abuse of process.

The 42 year old is serving life for the murder of his wife Rachel O'Reilly. The mother of two was bludgeoned to death at her home in the Naul in north Dublin in October 2004.

Joe O'Reilly was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in 2007, and lost on appeal in 2009.

In his latest bid for freedom he argued new or newly discovered facts had come to light that would show has conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

The main point raised was that a copy or portion of the book of evidence was found in the jury room on day 3 of his trial.

The Court of Appeal's found that Mr O'Reilly was 'fully informed' of the situation at the time and that raising these arguments now amounted to an 'unacceptable strategy'.

Rose Callaly, Rachel's mother, was at the Criminal Courts of Justice for the ruling. Speaking on the steps outside, she said she was 'delighted' with the decision but still hopes that one day her daughter's killer will admit his guilt.

'It would make a huge difference if he admitted he did it. I don't think he ever will,' she said.

Joe O'Reilly may have run out of appeal options. Dressed in a dark suit, checked shirt and striped tie, he gave no visible reaction in court to today's ruling.