TWO prisoners serving life sentences lost a legal challenge at Britain’s highest court yesterday to allow them to vote in the upcoming Scottish independence referendum.

Leslie Moohan and Andrew Gillon, both of whom have murder convictions, took their case to the Supreme Court to argue that rules barring them from voting breached their human rights.

Both inmates want to vote on September 18 but are not eligible under the Franchise Act.

Judges in Scotland had already thrown out their claims.

Supreme Court judges also disagreed with the argument put forward by the pair’s lawyers that the prohibition was incompatible with prisoners’ rights under common and European law.

Following the day-long hearing court president Lord Neuberger dismissed the appeals, but would not give reasons for the decision until a later date.

Mr Moohan is not eligible for release until 2023, while Mr Gillon can be released later this year.