Helen’s Law: A Mother’s Long Fight For Justice

In June this year, CrimeCon will be coming to London. A full weekend event designed to indulge true crime fans with talks from expert speakers, presentations and demonstrations, immersive activities, and opportunities to meet podcasters, authors, and TV personalities. But CrimeCon aims to do much more than entertain.

The weekend is about bringing people together. Providing education, knowledge, and understanding. And it is an opportunity to provide support and recognition to those who have been the victims of crime, and to the many families who are still fighting for justice.

I wanted to share with you the story behind two people who were at the very first CrimeCon to ever take place in the UK, in London in September 2021, Marie McCourt and Fiona Duffy, courtesy of CrimeConUK.

One day in February 1988, 22-year-old Helen McCourt went out to work as normal. But she never came home. That night, Marie McCourt’s identity as an ordinary, working mum was destroyed entirely.

Helen’s disappearance triggered one of the largest missing person’s enquiries in the country. Due to overwhelming and ground-breaking forensic evidence, local pub landlord Ian Simms was charged and convicted of her murder. The case made global headlines as the first murder conviction without a body to use DNA evidence. It was also believed to be only the third ever ‘missing body murder’ conviction in Britain since the Second World War.

Simms has refused to say where Helen’s body is, meaning her remains have never been recovered.

The emotional anguish that this has caused Helen’s family cannot be expressed in text. But they have never given up on Helen. Determined that her daughter should have a decent, Christian burial, Helen’s devoutly Catholic mother Marie began a heart-breaking quest to find Helen’s remains and bring her home. The next three decades saw her embark on gruelling searches, become a champion for victims’ rights, and take her fight for justice all the way to Westminster.

During her campaign, Marie met journalist Fiona Duffy. The two women forged a lifelong friendship resulting in countless articles and an award-winning campaign for justice for the families of missing murder victims; these awards include the UK Press Gazette British Journalism Awards for Campaign of the Year (2019) and the Journalism Matters Making a Difference Award (2020).

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Marie McCourt and other campaigners, on 15th December 2020 Helen’s Law was passed. As Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP said: “Helen’s Law makes it absolutely clear that murderers and evil sexual offenders who refuse to disclose information about their victims should expect to face longer behind bars.”

Together, Marie and Fiona have written ‘Justice for Helen’, a book detailing their campaign for justice. We are honoured that both Marie and Fiona will be appearing at CrimeCon UK in 2021, where they will be sharing their experiences around Helen’s harrowing case and the monumental legislative change that followed it. By providing a platform for the stories of victims and their families, we hope to honour those affected by crime and facilitate positive societal change.


Justice For Helen by Marie McCourt with Fiona Duffy

“For over 30 years, Marie has searched, in vain, for her daughter’s body and campaigned tirelessly to prevent other families from facing the same horrifying fate, taking her fight to the houses of parliament. This is the incredible story of a mother, devastated by the loss of her daughter, who found the strength and determination to change the law.”


JOIN CRIME TRAVELLER

New article updates and our free monthly Newsletter straight into your inbox.

It's free! You can unsubscribe at any time.

Unlimited reading on any device, try Kindle Unlimited from Amazon for free.
Prefer Audiobooks? Audible 30-Day Free Trial with free audiobooks.

As an Amazon affiliate, Crime Traveller may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See our Disclaimers page for more information.

MORE LIKE THIS

Related

Luke D’Wit: Fentanyl And The Betrayal of Carol and Stephen Baxter

In a chilling case of betrayal, IT worker Luke D'Wit spent years manipulating a trusting Essex couple through elaborate fake online personas before poisoning them with fentanyl to take control of their successful business. Through a security camera app, he coldly monitored their final moments.

Unraveling the Fiona Beal Murder Case

The shocking case of Fiona Beal, a primary school teacher who murdered her partner and buried him in their garden. Uncover the chilling details of her confession, alter ego, and the investigation that led to justice.

A Mysterious Crime in Houston’s Inwood Forest: The Complex Trial That Followed Golf Pro Gary Cooper’s Murder [Part 2]

The brutal murder of golf pro Gary Cooper in Houston's upscale Inwood Forest community left investigators with a complex web of relationships to untangle.

The Virginia McCullough Case: A Daughter’s Dark Secret

Uncover the haunting case of Virginia McCullough and a secret that shook a quiet community to its core. In a disturbing tale of family tragedy, McCullough lived alongside her parents' concealed remains for four years, leaving investigators to piece together a puzzle that challenged their understanding of familial bonds and human nature.

A Mysterious Crime in Houston’s Inwood Forest: Shocking Story Behind Golf Pro Player Gary Cooper’s Murder [Part 1]

Houston's upscale Inwood Forest community was shaken when respected golf pro Gary Cooper was brutally stabbed to death at his doorstep in August 2002. The murder investigation revealed a complex web of family drama centered around Cooper's teenage daughter's pregnancy and her boyfriend, Kelton Yates.

POPULAR POSTS

A Haunting School-Yard Memory: The 1970s Schoolboy Murders in Sydney, Australia

Two young boys brutally murdered within one year of each other, writer Stephen Karadjis tells of his experience at school with the killer.

Color Verses Black and White Photographic Evidence In A Murder Trial

New research has indicated that jurors who see colour photographs of a crime scene are more likely to convict of murder than jurors who see black and white versions of the same photographs.

Joanna Dennehy: The Psychology of A Female Serial Killer

In a rare case of a female killer, Joanna Dennehy stabbed three men to death within days of each other looking to match the nine kills of Bonnie & Clyde.

Has The Zodiac Finally Been Discovered? [Part 2]

San Francisco crime historian Paul Drexler continues to explore the evidence given to him by the Case Breaker team claiming to prove Gary Francis Poste as the Zodiac killer.
Jury empathy patricide murder trials

A Father’s Murder: Juror Empathy In Patricide Trials Involving Child Sexual Abuse

Juror empathy towards a defendant on trial for the murder of their father, known as patricide, can signiciantly impact their final verdict. Stacey Lannert, Jacob Ind, the Menendez brothers all told the story of sexual abuse taking place behind closed doors, claiming their actions were carried out in self-defence.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here