A murderer's lost a battle to allow child sex offenders in a prison rehab programme to be permitted to have sex

Phillip John Smith killed the father of a boy he sexually abused in the 90s, and fled to South America while on prison leave, in 2014.

He's in a voluntary special treatment unit for male child sex offenders in Christchurch's Rolleston Prison.

Those doing the programme are warned they can't have sex with each other.

He told the Court of Appeal last month the rule discriminates against gay people.

The Court's ruled against him, saying the ban applies to all prisoners regardless of orientation.