Judges dismiss appeal by hairdresser murderer Asher Maslin

An appeal by the man who murdered Gloucester hairdresser Holly Gazzard has been dismissed by three high court judges.

They ruled that the minimum 24 year sentence imposed on Asher Maslin was not excessive.

His barrister had argued that the trial judge had been unduly influenced by the impact on Hollie's family and failed to take sufficient account of a guilty plea. Hollie died after being stabbed 14 times in full view of customers at the hairdressers where she worked in February this year.

The man jailed for murdering his ex-girlfriend, 20-year-old hairdresser Hollie Gazzard has been given leave to appeal his 24 year minimum sentence.

22-year-old Asher Maslin from Cheltenham admitted stabbing Hollie to death at her salon in Gloucester in February.

In sentencing him to 24 years at Gloucester Crown Court in July, the judge, Mr Justice Teare, said it was a "merciless killing".

The Court of Appeal has confirmed Maslin has permission to appeal that minimum sentence.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed they are investigating two contacts Gloucestershire Police had with Hollie Gazzard prior to her murder.

The family of murdered hairdresser Hollie Gazzard said 'justice has been done' as her ex-boyfriend Asher Maslin was today jailed for life for her murder.

Speaking outside Gloucester Crown Court Hollie's father Nick said his family had lost a 'beautiful daughter' and 'wonderful granddaughter, auntie and sister.'

The ex-boyfriend of a hairdresser stabbed to death while she was at work will be sentenced for her murder today.

Asher Maslin, 22, killed Hollie Gazzard, 20, as she worked at Fringe Benefits & La Bella Beauty salon in Gloucester city centre on February 18.

Customers and staff were inside the premises at the time.

Following her death, Miss Gazzard's family said "the brightest star" in their lives had gone out.

"She was at the beginning of her life and to have it taken away in this manner is very hard to bear," they said.

Asher Maslin, who brutally killed his ex-girlfriend Hollie Gazzard when she dumped him, "couldn't take rejection," police said.

Detective Inspector Angela Middlewood, of Gloucestershire Police, said: "He was a very volatile individual. He was very controlling and possessive.

"Hollie had broken off the relationship with Maslin and he couldn't take the rejection."

She added: "I don't think we believe that Hollie thought that something as brutal and awful as that would happen but she was aware that he would turn up and pester her and couldn't accept that the relationship was over."

A security guard who stabbed his hairdresser ex-girlfriend to death in front of horrified onlookers at her salon mouthed "sorry" as he was led down to the cells.

Asher Maslin, 22, was jailed for life at Gloucester Crown Court for killing 20-year-old Hollie Gazzard in February.

The pair began dating a year earlier but in the lead up to her death she twice reported him to police.

The court heard when she tried to split up with him four days before she was killed he threw a glass of water over her.

He later sent her a series of abusive messages before carrying out the "brutal and sustained" attack.

As he was taken down to the cells Maslin, who must serve a minimum of 24 years, nodded to his weeping family and mouthed: "Sorry."

A judge who jailed a security guard for life for the murder of his hairdresser girlfriend said it was a "merciless killing."

Popular Hollie Gazzard, 20, was stabbed 14 times in under two minutes by her ex-boyfriend Asher Maslin in the salon she worked in in Gloucester city centre.

Judge Mr Justice Teare said: "The number of stab of wounds on a defenceless young woman show that this was a merciless killing.

"It was carried out in public, witnessed by customers of the salon, colleagues of Hollie Gazzard and by passers-by."

The judge said Hollie was at the start of her life with the "world at her feet."

He told Maslin: "Her family has lost a daughter and a sister. Her death has been felt throughout Gloucester as is shown by the circumstance that over 900 mourners attended her funeral at the cathedral."

Maslin is the first person to be sentenced for murder in the town since 1972.

A man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death at the hair salon where she worked has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.

Asher Maslin, 22, murdered Hollie Gazzard, 20, while she was working in Gloucester on February 18.

Maslin, who fled the store after attacking Miss Gazzard, discarded the Wilkinson's knife at a nearby building site and changed his clothes before taking a taxi to a friend's house.

He was arrested at the property at 2.19am the next day and later admitted a charge of murdering Miss Gazzard.

Mr Justice Teare sentenced Maslin at Gloucester Crown Court today.