SERIAL killer Mark Hobson was told yesterday he will die behind bars after losing an appeal against his whole-life sentence.

The families of his victims spoke of their relief at the ruling, announced by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, at the Court of Appeal, in London.

The former binman, now 36, admitted murdering his girlfriend, her twin sister and an elderly couple, and was given a whole-life tariff at Leeds Crown Court, in May.

The case set a legal precedent as no one who had pleaded guilty had received such a sentence before.

Lawyers for Hobson said the trial judge should have given him credit for his early guilty pleas, but the challenge was dismissed yesterday.

Lord Phillips said: "The facts of these four murders are so horrific that a whole- life order was inevitable, guilty plea or no.

"No one knowing the facts of this case could be in any doubt as to why the judge had given no effect to the guilty plea."

Hobson pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Claire Sanderson, 27, and her twin sister, Diane, at a flat in Camblesforth, near Selby, North Yorkshire.

He hit Claire 17 times with a hammer before putting a plastic bag over her head.

He lured Diane to the flat a week later and sexually mutilated and killed her.

Hobson also admitted killing pensioners Joan Britton, 82, and her housebound husband, James, 80, at their home in Strensall, near York, in July last year.

Catherine Wilkins, the daughter of the Brittons, spoke on behalf of her family after yesterday's ruling.

She said: "We are so pleased that we have got the result we were hoping for.

"Mark Hobson horrifically and sadistically murdered four people without compunction. He didn't give himself up and went on the run for a week.

"He has never shown any remorse or given any explanation for his actions.

"Admitting his guilt does not change the fact that he is a callous, vicious murderer and his victims suffered horrendously.

"We feel a great sense of relief knowing that he will never be released."

The twins' parents, George and Jacqueline, thanked everyone involved in the investigation.

They said: "We are pleased with the judgement and feel that justice has been done.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the Brittons."