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A devastated mother has told how the man who murdered her daughter is being prepared for release - despite sending taunting letters to her from behind bars while refusing to reveal the whereabouts of the body.

Helen McCourt was killed at the age of just 22 by Ian Simms 28 years ago.

Her body was never found but Simms was convicted after overwhelming DNA evidence pointed to her blood being spilled in his pub and then cleaned up haphazardly.

Simms has since refused to say where Helen’s remains are hidden – tormenting her friends and family for almost three decades.

And, in a further twist of cruelty for Helen’s mum, the parole board and UK Government last week granted permission for Simms to be moved to an open prison ready for parole.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

Grieving mum Marie, 72, is now petitioning for zero tolerance of killers who refuse to tell where their victims’ bodies are hidden.

She hopes the “no body, no parole” policy she calls Helen’s Law will stop other families from going through the same torment as her – and 300,000 people have already signed to say they agree.

“It is a special kind of torture to know you may die never having put to bed the most traumatic time in your life,” Marie told the New Day .

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“It is more than just devastating, there are no words. This man is evil. Pure evil. You should not get parole unless you are remorseful. If you are remorseful you would tell us where the body is and that hasn’t happened.

“We are already living a life sentence. We cannot bury our girl, we cannot say a proper goodbye. We cannot bury her with dignity. A basic human right.”

Marie, from St Helens near Liverpool, says she was informed by letter on April 5 from the office of Secretary of State Michael Gove telling how Simms had been successful in his bid to get transferred to an open jail. Marie has even revealed how she has received threatening letters from Simms from behind bars.

“We have been through so many searches and nothing has turned up.

“One day I decided to write to him, and I literally begged for him to tell us where she was. It was so hard to write.

“I told him how much I love Helen, how I miss her infectious laugh and seeing her gorgeous face.

“I asked him to tell me for both of us. I told him I would never rest and never stop fighting until I found her body or was dead myself.

“I hoped this letter, which was not in any way angry, might appeal to him.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

“He wrote back a horrid letter. He kept repeating ‘Mrs McCourt’ in it in a menacing way and kept asking how much money I was getting by doing interviews in the media and ‘dragging up Helen’s murder’.

“I sent the letter to the parole board. I wanted them to see what sort of controlling, arrogant and evil person they were dealing with.”

Helen was last spotted getting off a bus just 500 yards from her home in the village of Billinge after returning from work in Liverpool.

She had worked as a barmaid at Simms’ pub the year before and had argued with him just a couple of days before she vanished.

One of Helen’s opal and sapphire earrings – given to her for her 21st – were found in the boot of his Volkswagen Passat.

Marie says she is now scared she will bump into the killer when he is on day release.

“It terrifies me,” she said.

“The fact I could run into him in the street once he is allowed to go on day release trips makes me feel physically sick.”

Marie has not stopped in her quest for justice for Helen.

Her petition has already enough signatories that it will be debated in the House of Commons later this year but she urges more people to join her campaign.

“I think this will be too late to impact Ian Simms, even if it goes through, but hopefully it will help other victims.

“I know Helen would be proud. I just pray that I will find her and put her to rest before I die.”

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We do not comment on individual cases.

“Public protection is our top priority and transfers to open conditions can only be made after a thorough, expert risk assessment carried out by the independent Parole Board.

“A transfer to open prison does not guarantee eventual release in any form – whether that be on a temporary or other form of licence.

“Before that happens, offenders must meet another stringent set of tests”.