London: Former Sunderland and England midfielder Adam Johnson has lost his bid to appeal against a conviction for sexual activity with a 15-year-old.
Johnson was jailed for six years last March and his application for permission to appeal was dismissed by three judges in London on Thursday.
The Court of Appeal judges also rejected his bid for a reduction in his prison sentence.
At the start of his trial at Bradford Crown Court, Johnson admitted one charge of sexual activity with a child, relating to kissing her.
He also admitted a charge of meeting a child with intent following grooming her.
Johnson denied there was any further sexual activity with her in his Range Rover when he met up with her in County Durham in January 2015.
But the former Manchester City star was found guilty by a jury in March last year of one offence of sexual activity with a child.
