A man who murdered a West Malling teacher now faces the death penalty.

Alison Patterson's been fighting a court battle in Doha for the last four years, after the burned remains of her daughter Lauren, 24, were found in a desert pit in 2013 – a knife was still lodged in her ribcage.

Today the death penalty has been upheld on the killer Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabr.

In March 2015 he was sentenced to death for the murder, but in February 2016 the country’s court of appeal ordered a re-trial.

A second man, Mohamed Abdallah Hassan Abdul Aziz, was convicted of helping to hide Miss Patterson’s body and interfering with evidence.

He's already been released from prison.

Miss Patterson, from Leybourne Chase, was teaching at a primary school in the capital Doha when she disappeared on a night out.

In a post on the Facebook page 'Justice for Lauren' this morning, Alison said: "Back from Court and thankfully justice has prevailed for Lauren Patterson. The judges have upheld the original death sentence.

"Thank you to everyone for all your amazing support without all of you I don't know how I would have got this far. Love to everyone."

The decision will now go to the court of cassation within the next 60 days, for right of appeal.