Marie McCourt "stunned, touched and overwhelmed" as campaign fund hits £20k mark

Marie McCourt today gave heartfelt thanks as she faces up to a Parole Board ruling that former Billinge landlord, who was jailed for the 1988 murder of her 22-year-old daughter Helen, should finally be released even though he has shown no remorse nor revealed where her remains lie.

Agonisingly a “no body, no clause” called Helen’s Law, introduced to prevent the release of killers unless they break their silence over a missing body’s whereabouts, has twice stalled in Parliament despite widespread political support due to the calling of two general elections.

But Mrs McCourt has not given in and is now trying to get the ruling overturned through a judicial review. This, however, is expensive, and so a GoFundMe campaign has been launched.

She said: “I am stunned, touched and overwhelmed at the outpouring of support I have received since launching my crowdfunding appeal on Friday.

“With no Government in place and a general election still three weeks away, I don’t think I have ever felt so alone – despite the continued efforts of those who have always been by my side.

“So it is enormously encouraging to know that I have so much backing and goodwill from you all in my quest to overturn this appalling decision by the Parole Board and seek justice, not only for my daughter but for all missing murder victims.”