Julian Knight MP has secured a cast-iron commitment from the Government to review the rules for releasing convicted murderers from prison if they refuse to reveal the locations of their victims’ bodies.
He wrote to Andrew Selous, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, who wrote back to confirm that he had asked the Parole Board to review its rules on the subject.
This is a significant step forward for supporters of ‘Helen’s Law’, which calls for a complete moratorium on granting parole or release to prisoners whilst any of their victims are unaccounted for.
It is named in honour of Helen McCourt, who disappeared in 1988. Ian Simms, who was convicted for her murder without a body, was recommended for transfer to an open prison by the Parole Board in February – a move strongly criticised by Helen’s mother Marie, whose petition to change the law has attracted almost 340,000 signatures.
In response to the news, Julian said:
“It is unspeakably cruel when criminals, having already been caught and sentenced, wilfully deny closure to the families of their victims by continuing to hide their victims’ remains. This is not about further punishment, but about justice for all those who have lost loved ones and deserve the opportunity to lay them to rest.
“Anybody who chooses to keep open the wounds of their wickedness, and prolong the suffering of innocent people, does not deserve freedom. The Government is to be commended for their prompt and encouraging response to my question.”