A woman who was jailed for life after being convicted of sexual abuse 'of the worst kind' has launched a fresh bid to her conviction and sentence overturned after an initial appeal bid was rejected, it has emerged.

Eastern Daily Press: Michael Rogers and Jason Adams. Photo credit: Norfolk Constabulary/PA WireMichael Rogers and Jason Adams. Photo credit: Norfolk Constabulary/PA Wire

Marie Black was found guilty of 23 offences including rape, conspiracy to rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a three-month trial and in September last year was sentenced to life imprisonment with a tariff of 24 years.

Black, then 34, and of Atkinson Close, Norwich, together with Jason Adams, then 44, of Aspland Road, Norwich and Michael Rogers, then 46, of Romford in Essex, were found guilty of more than 40 offences, including rape, sexual assault and actual bodily harm carried out against children who were all aged under 13 at the time.

A spokeman for the Court of Appeal said they had received an application from Black for leave to appeal conviction and sentence last year.

Black was refused leave to appeal by a single judge in February this year but she has submitted an application for leave to appeal both conviction and sentence to the full court, which ordinarily consists of three judges.

The spokesman said Adams, who was sentenced to 24 years, has also submitted an application for leave to appeal both conviction and sentence to the full court while Rogers, who was also jailed for 24 years, has applied for leave to appeal his conviction.

There is currently no date for the hearings.

Black had denied 26 offences but following the trial was found guilty of all but three.

She was described as being 'cold and calculated' by Det Con Kim Taylor, the officer in the case.

Judge Nicholas Coleman, who said the case was one of the most 'harrowing' he had ever had the 'misfortune' to preside over, described the defendants as 'utterly depraved' and added what the victims were subjected to defied belief.

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