A killer convicted of the so-called Essex Boys murders will be released from prison despite government efforts to block the move.
Michael Steele was given a life sentence for the gangland shootings of Craig Rolfe, Tony Tucker and Pat Tate in Rettendon, near Chelmsford, in 1995.
The 82-year-old was cleared for release by the Parole Board in February, but Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood appealed against the decision last month.
A Parole Board spokesman said Mahmood's reconsideration application had been refused.
"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority," he added.
Steele, who previously lived in Great Bentley near Colchester, has repeatedly denied perpetrating the murders.
The case gained international attention and was immortalised in the 2000 film Essex Boys, which starred Sean Bean and coined the name.
Making its decision in February, the Parole Board said Steele's imprisonment was "no longer necessary for the protection of the public".
He was locked up alongside Jack Whomes, who was released from prison in 2021.
The victims were gunned down having been ambushed as they sat in a Range Rover on a farmer's track.