MOTHERS of murdered daughters who never found out where the bodies of their children are left are fighting for a new law to help other families in their situation.

Helen’s Law would see convicted killers refused parole if they refuse to disclose the whereabouts of their victims.

Ann Nicholl, mother of murdered Richmond teenager Jenny Nicholl who died in 2005, has backed the campaign for Helen’s Law, set up by Marie McCourt after the murder of her daughter in 1988.

The Northern Echo:

Jenny Nicholl disappeared from the family home in Richmond, North Yorkshire, June 30, 2005

Mrs Nicholl said she and Mrs McCourt were in contact with each other following Jenny’s murder, and the women have supported each other through a long battle to call for killers to be kept in prison if they refuse to reveal where their victims are.

Jenny disappeared in June 2005, when she was aged 19, telling her parents she would be staying out for the night, but did not say where or with whom.

David Hodgson, 47, was convicted of her murder in 2008 and received a life sentence – but is due to be released in eight years time.

Marie McCourt’s daughter Helen was 22 when she was murdered by Ian Simms in the village of Billinge, near St Helens. Her body has also never been found.

Mrs Nicholl said: “It is awful what happened, but the sheer not knowing, as if she has been disregarded and it is just not right. I’m very hopeful that Helen’s Law will become law. I hope from this other things can be made better for victims and their loved ones because there are a lot of things that are wrong with the criminal justice system.

“I feel it is my duty as Jenny’s mum because she can’t stand up for herself, to let people know what is going on. The system is very difficult to understand, and the man who killed Jenny is due to be released in eight years and I don’t think it is right that he could just slot back into his family life after what he has done to mine.”

Rory Stewart, Minister for Courts and Justice, has described the act of concealing the whereabouts of a body “absolutely disgusting”, during questions in the Commons. He said the government was confident it would be able to bring forward a legal response to impose consequences for those who keep the whereabouts of their victim’s body secret.

Mrs McCourt has been campaigning for “Helen’s Law” for several years, with a petition of about 500,000 names calling for killers who refuse to disclose the whereabouts of their victims’ remains be kept behind bars.