Kentish Express Ashford & District
PCSO murder suspect appears at Old Bailey
A 21-year-old man accused of murdering former Ashford and Tenterden PCSO Julia James appeared in court on Tuesday.
Callum Wheeler is charged with killing the mum-of-two by inflicting serious head injuries while she walked her dog in Snowdown, between Canterbury and Dover.
Wheeler, of Sunshine Corner Avenue in nearby Aylesham, was charged with murder almost a fortnight after Julia, 53, was found dead on April 27.
She was discovered close to Akholt Wood, about 400 metres from her home.
Wheeler appeared at the Old Bailey in London via videolink.
He did not enter a plea but is due to do so in the week of October 4. A trial date is set for November 29 at Canterbury Crown Court.
Julia, who was found with her Jack Russell, Toby, by her side, worked with the domestic violence unit at Canterbury police station.
A post-mortem investigation revealed she suffered “significant head injuries”, sparking a widespread hunt for her killer.
She had been working from home on the day of her death.
Having joined Kent Police in 2008 as a crime reduction PCSO in east Kent, Julia James spent her career serving the community.
Dover MP Natalie Elphicke has called for the government’s new Victims’ Bill to be named after the PCSO as a “fitting tribute” to the work she did with domestic violence victims.
Mass dog walks in Julia’s memory also took place across the country last month.
Her daughter Bethan Coles wrote: “I have received messages from a number of women who mum had met during the course of her work; in which she supported victims of domestic abuse. It makes me so proud when I hear about how she has helped and supported these women through their terrible experiences. I’m so lucky to be her daughter.”
She also included the #justiceforjulia hashtag - which has been widely used in social media posts about Julia’s death.