Danielle Jones: Mum's plea for killer to reveal location of body By Doug Faulkner

BBC News Published duration 30 May 2019

image caption Linda Jones says finding her daughter's body would give the family closure

The mother of a murdered teenager said she does not want her killer released in two years if he has not revealed where her body is.

Danielle Jones, 15, disappeared while on her way to catch a bus to school in East Tilbury, Essex, on 18 June 2001.

Her uncle Stuart Campbell was jailed for life for her murder the following year.

Linda Jones said: "That's the one thing that still disturbs me quite a bit, not knowing where she is."

She added: "I may never know where my daughter is."

Mrs Jones wants to see the introduction of Helen's Law - named after murder victim Helen McCourt who was killed in Merseyside in 1988 - which would ensure parole boards have to consider the lack of a body when judging whether a prisoner can be released.

image copyright PA image caption Danielle Jones was waiting to catch a bus to school when she disappeared

The family hope the law could be introduced soon with Justice Secretary David Gauke backing the plans

However, Mrs Jones said the legislation would stop short of "no body, no parole" due to EU law but the Ministry of Justice said it would "place greater consideration on a failure to disclose the location of a victim's remains".

Mrs Jones, 59, said: "It is up to him [Campbell] really, a big part of us thinks we will never know.

"But [Helen's Law] gives us a chance, possibly, knowing the sort of character he is a part of me realised he wouldn't, but it is like dangling a carrot."

Two years ago she said she was "really hopeful" there might be an end to the "nightmare" when Essex Police dug up some garages near Campbell's former home in Thurrock, but without success.

She added: "It is like she is just discarded. That's heartbreaking. I need to put her somewhere, not where we are in control, but where she is safe - and I don't know if we ever will.

"It has come round too quickly [the release] and we are quite anxious about that."

image copyright Essex Police image caption Danielle was 15 when she was murdered

Mrs Jones described how her two sons, who are both aged in their 30s, had not celebrated big birthdays, passing exams, or other milestones that Danielle never reached.

She said: "They have never actually said but I am quite aware that it is probably because they don't want to make a big issue of it because she didn't do it."

Mrs Jones said it was very important for her to keep remembering Danielle.

"Because we haven't got a grave or anywhere to go it is so important for us to keep her memory alive," she added.