Mother of murder victim calls for killer to be kept behind bars
The mother of murdered Helen McCourt has called on the Parole Board to keep her killer behind bars while he refuses to reveal where he hid her body.
Marie McCourt has given evidence at a hearing later which will consider whether Ian Simms should be released.
She has pleaded with the murderer to tell her the whereabouts of her daughter's body ever since the insurance clerk vanished in Billinge, St Helens in 1988.
Simms, who was convicted by a jury on overwhelming DNA evidence of the 22-year-old's abduction and murder, is still in jail and has always maintained his innocence.
Mrs McCourt has campaigned relentlessly to keep Simms behind bars until he helps lead police to her daughter's body, as well as calling for laws to deny killers parole if they refuse to reveal such information.
In a statement Mrs McCourt said: "To lose a loved one is heartbreaking. To lose a loved one to murder is horrific.
"To lose a loved one to murder and never be able to lay them to rest is an unimaginable torture.
"I hope and pray the parole judges will listen to my plea and that of my son, Michael, and make the right decision for us.
"And I urge Ian Simms please, please do the right thing, end this torture and tell us where Helen's remains can be recovered. Then you also can look forward to a day of being released."