Talk:Murder of Helen McCourt

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A fact from Murder of Helen McCourt appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 28 April 2013 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that the murder of Helen McCourt was the first case in which a suspect was convicted on DNA evidence in the UK without the victim's body having been discovered?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2013/April. The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Murder of Helen McCourt.

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I removed the following because it was unreferenced. I don't think there are any copyvio issues, but if there are then feel free to remove this text. Otherwise, the text could be replaced into the article, but with reliable sources

When police interviewed Simms he denied seeing Helen that night and having any knowledge of her disappearance. Police noticed he was extremely nervous and had scratches on his neck and a cut on his lower lip. He claimed his wife had attacked him after he had told her of his affair with his 21-year-old mistress Tracy Hornby. His wife denied this when spoken to. Simms then said he had been scratched during the altercation in the pub on Sunday night between Helen and another girl. This was also easily disproved, as no-one in the pub that night had seen a mark on him immediately afterwards.

Police impounded his Volkswagen Passat car, which was extremely muddy. In the boot they found an opal and pearl earing identical to one of a set given to Helen on the 21st birthday the year before. She had been wearing them that day. Forensic scientists also found human hair on the boot carpet which matched those on her heated rollers in her bedroom. They also found 2 spots of blood on the sill of the boot and a bloodstain on the boot carpet. In the absence of her body, forensic scientists used for the first time a new DNA technique which enabled them to prove thiss blood came from a child of Helen's parents. Simms claimed the blood was from his dog, who had cut his paw and who he'd put in the boot to avoid spoiling the interior of the car. As stated, the blood was human and not animal and came from Helen McCourt.

Forensic tests carried in Simms pub and flat revealed further bloody evidence of the attack on Helen. A bloodstain was found on the carpet at the foot of the stairs leading to Simm's apartment. The morning after Helen's murder Simms cleaner found him scouring here with bleach, claiming his dog had made a mess. He was unable to remove enough of the stain, which again had come from Helen McCourt. On the wallpaper at the side of the foot of the stairs scientists also found a spray pattern of tiny spots of blood, characteristic of that caused by a blow or blows struck onto an already bloody surface - in this case thought to have been Helen's face. A further bloodstain was found on the carpet in one of the bedrooms, again from Helen. Another spray pattern of blood spots on the wallpaper in this room was probably caused when Simms struck Helen in the face as she was trying to get up or out of the room. Scientists also found a bloody fingerprint in the accomodation, this being of Ian Simms left forefinger.

Paul MacDermott (talk) 14:56, 9 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

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Helens Law

This page inaccurately explains The Prisoners Disclosure of victims information bill or Helens Law. Helens Law placed existing guidance (known as chapter 9) of the parole board members handbook on to the statute books. It therefore made it a legal requirement for parole boards to consider why an offender refuses to disclose this information and what impact if any this may have on the offenders risk. This guidance, irrespective of law has been applied in every no body murder case since 2016. The CEO of the parole board confirmed as such in dec 2020. Likewise Neil Gillingham (myself) did in Inews in Jan 2020 as well as other papers. I suggest you refer to the murder of Carole Packman and subsequent events. Helens Law does not prevent or stop killers who refuse to disclose this info from release Neil K Gillingham (talk) 22:22, 6 September 2022 (UTC)[reply]

https://inews.co.uk/news/real-life/helens-law-murder-killer-parole-iam-simms-mccourt-carole-packman-386441

https://rozenberg.substack.com/p/a-law-that-makes-no-difference

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/commentary-and-opinion/is-helens-law-an-empty-gesture/5102749.article

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9080925/Betrayal-Helens-Law-Killers-wont-say-victims-body-hidden-parole.html

Neil K Gillingham (talk) 14:29, 7 September 2022 (UTC)[reply]