Killer of Helen McCourt to be released from prison, despite never revealing the location of her body

  • Granada

The killer of Helen McCourt has 'met the test for release' the Parole Board has confirmed.

Ian Simms, now 63, abducted and murdered 22-year-old Helen McCourt 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 and has always maintained his innocence.

Miss McCourt's mother, Marie, has been campaigning for Simms to remain in prison, as he has never revealed where he hid Helen's body.

She has said she is "in shock" and "horrified" at the decision to release her daughter's killer.

Ian Simms has been released subject to a series of conditions. Credit: PA Images

In a statement, the Parole Board said Simms' release would be subject to a series of conditions.

These include: to reside at a designated address, to be "of good behaviour" and to report for supervision appointments.

He will also have to wear a tagging device to monitor his whereabouts, observe a curfew and avoid any contact with the family of his victim.

He had been denied release at his previous hearing in 2016 but was subsequently transferred to an open prison "due to progress made" where he has "followed the rules" when granted temporary release.

The Parole Board said it "carefully considered" Simms' failure to disclose the location of Mrs McCourt's body and concluded there is "no prospect of Simms ever disclosing the whereabouts of his victim even if he were kept in prison until he died."

The board added the refusal continues to cause understandable distress and misery to the victim's family and the panel concluded this demonstrated a lack of empathy.

But the board said denial was not a "necessarily determining factor" and also considered evidence from two psychologists who recommended release.

Helens LawMrs 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.

A pledge to refuse murderers who withhold information about where their victims are buried parole was part of the Queen's speech in October.

Mrs McCourt had asked the parole board not to release Simms until the law came into effect next year.