The Federal Court in Melbourne dismissed Michael McCrea's appeal against the government's decision to extradite him, saying it believed an undertaking by Singapore not to impose the death penalty would be honoured, local media reported.

McCrea, 46, allegedly strangled his chauffeur and the driver's girlfriend on January 2, 2002, before fleeing with his Singaporean girlfriend to Australia via Britain.

He has been in custody in Melbourne since June 2002 after being arrested on a warrant issued by Interpol.

His 23-year-old girlfriend, Audrey Ong, consented to extradition and was jailed for 12 years after admitting to helping dispose of the bodies, the national AAP news agency reported.

McCrea fought extradition on the grounds that Singapore's undertaking was not legally enforceable, but the court said there was no doubt it would be honoured.

McCrea is now expected to make a last-chance appeal to the High Court, national radio said.

Australia, which does not apply the death penalty, refuses to extradite suspects who could be executed.

McCrea, a former insurance salesman from Nottingham, England, who ran an investment advice service in Singapore, allegedly killed chauffeur Kho Nai Guan and his girlfriend Lan Ya Ming in his apartment during a dispute.

Their decomposing bodies were found in the car park five days later, with Kho stuffed into a wicker basket on the back seat of his car and Lan in the boot.
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