Helen McCourt: Mother tells killer Ian Simms 'Give me my child back' Published duration 6 February

media caption Marie McCourt: "I can't given Helen this last goodbye"

A mother who campaigned for more than 30 years to find out where the remains of her daughter are hidden has told her killer to "give her child back".

Helen McCourt disappeared in Merseyside in 1988 and her body has not been found, after searches were carried out.

Killer Ian Simms has been released from prison despite never revealing where he hid the remains of the 22-year-old.

Marie McCourt said him being freed days before the anniversary of her daughter going missing was "insensitive",

''All I want, all I've ever wanted, is to have my child back," Helen's mother added.

"Whatever tiny bits of pieces there are. It's my daughter's. And I want them back."

Speaking to BBC Breakfast she continued: "The part that gets me, I can't give Helen the last goodbye.

"I didn't think a heart could break twice, but mine did."

image copyright PA Media image caption Marie McCourt (left) has always lived in hope of finding her daughter Helen (right)

Mrs McCourt added: "It's always painful when it's coming up to another anniversary.

"It's this Sunday and I just feel that it's insensitive to release this person just days before."

She said "some empathy" should be shown to "a grieving mother".

Simms, who never admitted his guilt, killed Ms McCourt as she walked home from work in Liverpool.

Mrs McCourt has campaigned for a change in the law to deny parole to killers who do not disclose the location of their victims' bodies.

The Prisoners (Disclosure of Information about Victims) Bill, dubbed Helen's Law, failed to be ratified before Parliament when the general election was called.

image copyright PA image caption Ian Simms, pictured in 1988, was found guilty of the 22-year-old's abduction and murder

The legislation has been reintroduced since the reopening of Parliament but no date has yet been set for its debate by MPs.

Talking about Helen's Law, Mrs McCourt said: ''I kept telling myself I'm strong enough to do it. That, OK it may not benefit my case but it will hopefully benefit all the people who are going through the same thing as me and all the families who will also follow on."

Mrs McCourt had also launched a legal challenge to keep Simms in prison ahead of a judicial review of the Parole Board's decision to free him.

But Lord Justice Dingemans and Mr Justice Fordham refused to postpone his release.

Simms, who has always maintained his innocence, was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years.

He was eligible to be considered for release in February 2004.