THE murderer who killed his 15-year-old niece Danielle Jones “should remain in prison until he reveals where her body is” the mother behind Helen’s Law has said.
Danielle Jones was last seen on June 18, 2001, at around 8am, when she left her home in East Tilbury, Essex, to catch the bus to school.
Her uncle, Stuart Campbell, was jailed for life in December 2002 for her kidnap and murder but has refused to reveal where her body is.
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Echoing a statement made by Danielle’s mother, Linda Jones, Marie McCourt, whose daughter Helen was murdered in 1988, said Campbell should not be released unless he revealed the whereabouts of Danielle's remains.
I hope that in Danielle's case, Campbell will not come out unless he provides that information,” Ms McCourt told the BBC.
"They [the Parole Board] just have to say, 'you're in prison until you say where you put your victim's remains'.
"Why are the families of victims tortured while they [people convicted of murder] are looked after?"
When he was jailed, Campbell, a builder and father-of-two, was told he would serve at least 20 years in prison for murder.
Last week, it emerged the killer’s bid for release had been referred to the Parole Board. A hearing is expected to take place next year.
In 2017, police dug up garages near the home where Danielle’s killer once lived, believing her body may have been buried there.
But after a five-day search, no trace was found.
Helen’s Law, named after murdered Helen McCourt, aims to prevent parole for killers who refuse to reveal the location of their victim’s body.
Mrs McCourt and her family spent years campaigning for the law, and are still campaigning to prevent killers from being released at all, unless they revealed the whereabouts of their victims' remains.
Her daughter Helen McCourt, a 22-year-old insurance clerk, vanished on her way home from work in St Helens, Merseyside, in 1988.
Pub landlord Ian Simms was jailed for life a year later after being found guilty of her murder.
Simms was released in 2020 but never revealed where or how he disposed of Helen's body.
He died in June leaving the family without answers.
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