A black cab driver from Wembley who was jailed for the murder of a US soldier in Iraq has lost a bid to clear his name - but had his minimum jail term slashed by judges.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Sergeant First Class Randy Johnson was killed by a bimd (Pic credit: Central News)Sergeant First Class Randy Johnson was killed by a bimd (Pic credit: Central News) (Image: Archant)

Anis Abid Sardar, 39, of Llandover Road, was found guilty of involvement in building the bomb which killed Sgt First Class Randy Johnson.

The serviceman died when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb north west of Baghdad in September 2007.

Sardar was convicted in May last year of murder and conspiracy to murder.

He was jailed for life, with a minimum of 38 years to serve, at Woolwich Crown Court.

He launched a Court of Appeal challenge to his conviction last month, but yesterday saw his case dismissed by three senior judges.

However, Sir Brian Leveson said the 38-year term was too long and cut it to allow Sardar to apply for parole after serving 35 years.

The court heard Sardar, now a married dad-of-two, had initially travelled to Syria for study, but had then crossed the border into Iraq.

He was linked to four IEDs which were found or exploded in the same area at around the same time.

His fingerprints were found on two of the devices and material found on his arrest contained a recipe for TNT.

Appealing against the murder count, he claimed the jury could not be certain that the bomb which killed Sgt Johnson was one he had made.

But rejecting the argument, Sir Brian, sitting with Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Holroyde, said there was sufficient evidence to convict.

Cutting the minimum term, the judge said Sardar had not been a leader in the murder and was a young man of previous and subsequent good character.