Mr Justice McAlinden said: "There is no arguable case with a reasonable prospect of success."

Three senior judges dismissed the bid and concluded that the proposed grounds of appeal were "not arguable."

They said the grounds of her case "do not raise an arguable point of law".

In court their barrister announced it has been conceded there are arguable grounds of challenge.

What’s not arguable is that, as a man seemingly born to play baseball, he generated admiration and controversy in almost equal amounts.