Helen’s Law for killers moves a step closer
A GRIEVING mum’s campaign to deny parole to killers who hide the bodies of their victims is a step nearer to becoming law.
MPs and more than 417,000 members of the public have backed the fight for “Helen’s Law” since it was launched in the Mirror.
Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the murder of Marie McCourt’s daughter Helen, and the Ministry of Justice has confirmed it is working with Marie to make changes. Helen, 22, was killed in 1988 by pub landlord Ian Simms and her body has never been found. Simms, serving life in an open prison, will soon have a new parole hearing.
Marie, 74, of Billinge, Merseyside, said: “Convicted killers need to know they will never be released until they do the decent thing. Without change more families will continue to join us in this nightmare.
“To lose a loved one to murder is torture. But to be forever denied their funeral is beyond cruel.”