Murderer who failed to reveal whereabouts of body could be released

A convicted murderer could be released from prison despite never telling his victim’s family where her body is.

Helen McCourt vanished in 1988 but her body has never been recovered. Pub landlord Ian Simms was jailed of murdering her in Billinge near Wigan after police found overwhelming DNA evidence.

Previous parole bids by the former pub landlord have been blocked but a law change means that prisoners serving a life sentence do not need to show remorse for their crimes.

Her mum Marie McCourt launched a petition in December calling on the Government to introduce Helen’s Law. It would make preventing a burial and obstructing a coroner a crime for offenders with ‘whole life’ tariffs.