A St. Ann man who robbed a nurse of $250 and then bashed her head with a stone, killing her, has lost his appeal against his conviction and sentence to life imprisonment.

Anthony Johnson, 36, also called 'Tax', mechanic, of Farm Town district, near Runaway Bay, St. Ann, will have to serve 25 years before he is eligible for parole.

Johnson was convicted in the St. Ann Circuit Court in October 2004 of the murder of Yvonne Foreman Grey, nurse of Belgrave District, St. Ann. Evidence was given at the trial that, on August 28, 1999, the nurse went to collect a blood pressure machine from a resident in her district and was attacked while on her way home.

Johnson told residents later that day that he found the body in the bushes. The head was bashed in and there were acid burns to the face.

Confessed to prisoners

The police arrested Johnson and while he was in the Runaway Bay police lockup, he told two prisoners that he had robbed the nurse. He said that while they were wrestling on the ground, he took a stone and hit her in the head and then threw acid on her face.

Johnson appealed Tuesday against his conviction and sentence but the Court of Appeal, comprising Justice Algernon Smith, Justice Hazel Harris and Justice Horace Marsh (acting), dismissed his appeal.