THE man convicted of St Helens' most notorious murder of recent times is believed to be preparing for a parole board hearing next week that will determine whether he should be released from jail.

Ian Simms has served more than 18 years in prison for the killing of Helen McCourt on February 9, 1988. The body of Helen, who went missing aged 22, has never been found, bringing years of torment to her mother Marie, from Billinge.

When Simms was found guilty of murder in March, 1989 - becoming one of the first people in the UK to have been convicted on DNA evidence without the victim's body having been discovered - a judge ordered him to serve a minimum tariff of 16 years.

Despite compelling forensic evidence, father-of-two Simms - the former landlord of the then George and Dragon in Main Street, Billinge - has always maintained his innocence.

A parole board panel turned down Simms' application for release in 2004 but two years on he is entitled to another hearing.

Mrs McCourt has told the Star she understands Simms will go before a parole board panel next Monday (November 13).

She has written a letter calling for Simms, who is now in his late 40s, not be released from the maximum security Full Sutton prison in York. However, she is concerned that a trend to free prisoners because of overcrowding in jails may influence the decision.

The 63-year-old has previously called for charges to be brought against Simms for failing to allow a Christian burial to take place because he has not revealed where Helen's body is.

Marie said: "My worry is the way it has been going about releasing prisoners because there is no room in the jails means he will be considered for release.

"The panel will decide on whether to release him depending on whether they believe he is now a safe person'. I don't believe he should be released because he has never admitted to his guilt."

Simms had his case passed on to the criminal case review for consideration (the independent organisation which decides whether a conviction should be referred to the court of appeal) several years ago but Marie says the evidence that was examined only strengthened the belief he was Helen's killer.

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