EIGHTEEN years ago, career criminal Danny Gardiner murdered a supergrass who was to give evidence against him and dumped his mutilated remains in a lake.

When the body floated to the surface, Gardiner fled to Israel but was eventually arrested following an international police hunt.

But this week, a judge agreed he could apply for early release from Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire, where he is serving a life sentence - meaning he can apply to be freed in less than three years.

Gardiner, of Doverow Avenue, Stonehouse, pleaded not guilty to murder, along with co-defendant Simon James, then 25 and of The Tynings, Minchinhampton.

Gardiner was found guilty of the murder of Alan 'Chalkie' White, from Minchinhampton, at Winchester Crown Court in April 1992.

The court heard how Mr White, 35, suffered 14 stab wounds and had been attacked with such force that the knife cut through his chestbone.

Mr White's body was then wrapped in a blue boat cover, tied to a holdall containing 55lbs of rocks and thrown into a lake in the Cotswold Water Park.

Gardiner was arrested 18-months later but continued to intimidate witnesses in an effort to escape justice.

On Wednesday, Mr Justice Davis ruled that Gardiner will be able to apply for parole 19 years into his 25 year sentence.

The judge, presiding over London's Royal Courts of Justice, said Gardiner, now 46, can seek his freedom in 2009 provided he can convince the authorities that he is no longer a danger.

He took into account the fact that Gardiner had shown remorse since the murder and had completed a series of courses to deal with his offending.

A recent report suggested he no longer posed a risk of significant harm to the public.