PCSO Julia James death: Crimestoppers offer £10,000 reward for information

Independent charity Crimestoppers has launched an appeal for anonymous information in the hunt for the person responsible for Julia James' murder.

On Thursday evening, they announced they're offering a reward of up to £10,000 for anonymous information that leads to a conviction.

The body of the Police Community Support Officer was found close to her home near Akholt Wood in the Aylesham Road area of Snowdown, just before 4pm on Tuesday 27 April 2021. 

She had been walking her dog and was not in uniform at the time of her murder.

A dog walker has spoken of her “terror” at the murder of Julia James, after discovering she past the spot where the PCSO was killed barely an hour before the crime took place. 

She told ITV News: “I was probably there an hour before she died which is really scary.”

“It’s unbelievable to think this happened in the middle of the afternoon. Nobody saw anything, nobody heard anything. I didn’t see a thing. I didn’t see anything that made me feel uncomfortable.”

• The Snowdown resident, who asked not to be named, was walking on the path close to Akholt Woods on Tuesday, 27 April.

• Kit Bradshaw reports on the effect Julia's death has had on those in the Snowdown community

It comes as police teams were seen searching the derelict buildings at the former Snowdown Colliery, which closed in the 1980s.

Three police vehicles and a group of approximately 10 officers were seen combing the vast site for several hours. 

Detectives yesterday released a new photograph of Julia James, pictured in the same outfit she was wearing the day she was killed, in the hope it will jog someone’s memory. 

The 53-year-old died of serious head injuries, with her body discovered by multiple people at 4pm.

Assistant Chief Constable of Kent Police Tom Richards said: “We’re hoping that this image of Julia wearing what she wore before her death will help jog people’s memory.

“We want to hear from anyone who was in the area or who saw Julia. Any and all information is welcomed and our detectives will decide what is relevant to their investigation.”

Julia James’s dog Toby, who she was walking at the time, was unharmed and has been checked for possible forensic clues.

Professor David Wilson, criminologist, said: “The dog could be important forensically, partly because there’s always an exchange [of evidence] between the perpetrator and the victim.”

Detectives are still keen to speak to anyone who was in the area between Snowdown and Aylesham on Tuesday 27 April, between 1pm and 4.30pm. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact:

• Kent Police: 0800 0514 526

• Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111