Nova Scotia's highest court has denied an appeal by the man convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Amber Kirwan.

Christopher Falconer was given an automatic sentence of life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years after he was convicted by a jury in January 2014.

Kirwan, 19, vanished after leaving a pool hall in New Glasgow on Oct. 9, 2011. Her naked, bound remains were discovered in a clandestine grave about a month later in nearby Heathbell.

Falconer appealed his conviction, claiming the judge at his trial "erred in his jury instructions by conflating admissions with concessions about admissibility of certain evidence."

However, in a decision released Wednesday, the Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia said it was not satisfied that Falconer's trial judge committed an error when instructing the jury.