Uncle who murdered teenage niece Danielle Jones from Essex is refused release from prison

A killer who murdered his 15-year-old niece from Essex has been refused release from prison by the Parole Board.

Danielle Jones was last seen at around 8am on 18 June 2001, when she left her home in East Tilbury to catch the bus to school.

Her uncle, Stuart Campbell, was jailed for life in December 2002 for her kidnap and murder. He has never revealed what he did with Danielle's body.

"We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has refused the release of Stuart Campbell following a paper review," a Parole Board spokesperson said, in comments carried by The Sun.

The panel also refused to recommend a move to open prison, the spokesperson said.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community," the spokesperson added.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

In 2019, Danielle's mother, Linda Jones, said she did not want Campbell to be released from prison if he did not reveal where her body was.

She said she backed Helen's Law, named after murdered Helen McCourt, which aims to prevent parole for killers who refuse to reveal the location of their victim's body.

A spokeswoman for the Parole Board confirmed in November that Campbell's case had been referred to them.

In 2017, officers from Essex Police dug up some 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 of her was found.

The force said at the time: "Sadly we have been unable to end the pain they (Danielle's family) have continued to experience and we are no closer to knowing where Danielle is."

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