Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has lost his application for leave to appeal against his 30-year sentence to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), but is now set to attempt a prison move, the Gazette has learned.

Biggs is in Belmarsh prison, serving the remainder of the sentence interrupted after 15 months by his escape from Wandsworth prison in 1965.

After years on the run, he returned to Britain in May 2001 and has been in poor health.

The ECHR found that the domestic remedies had not been exhausted because Biggs failed to raise human rights complaints in proceedings before the English courts.

Biggs' solicitor, Steve Barker of London firm Barker Gillette, said: 'I can only surmise that they [Biggs and his son Michael Biggs] will both be hugely disappointed at the decision.

For my part I would like to take issue with the decision but clearly cannot...

for a court that deals in human rights it is very "non-user friendly" to say the least.'

Mr Barker said that specialist prison lawyers from Manchester-based firm Tranters would now attempt to move Biggs from Belmarsh in London.

Tranters assistant Kristen Bender said: 'We represent Mr Biggs in relation to his medical care and the conditions under which he is held.

There are prison regulations governing the circumstances in which Mr Biggs should be held in a certain category of prison.

We don't think that he should be held in Belmarsh.

We want him removed to a prison that better reflects his medical condition.'

Jeremy Fleming