Campaign for Chantel's Law Advances
A mother campaigning for changes in the sentencing of murderers who conceal their victims' bodies has expressed feeling "overwhelmed" ahead of a scheduled meeting with a government minister.
Jean Taylor's daughter, Chantel Taylor, aged 27, was murdered by former soldier Stephen Wynne in 2004. Wynne was released on parole earlier this year despite never disclosing the location of Chantel's body.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones confirmed that the Law Commission is currently reviewing the issue and has agreed to meet with Jean Taylor.
Taylor advocates for the introduction of "Chantel's Law," which would establish a distinct offence for those who "go beyond murder," specifically targeting the concealment or desecration of a body as a separate crime. She emphasized the urgency of the meeting, stating she wanted it "sooner rather than later."
"At last, it's looking as though it's going in the right direction," Taylor added.
Currently, there is no explicit offence for the desecration of a dead body under the laws of England and Wales.
Conservative Minister Esther McVey has supported Taylor in arranging the meeting with Davies-Jones.
Support from Conservative Minister Esther McVey
Esther McVey, Member of Parliament for Tatton, expressed hope that Chantel's Law would criminalize the desecration of a body "in its own right," extending beyond its current status as merely an "aggravating factor" in legal proceedings.
"Because not only could Jean Taylor not grieve her daughter or bury her daughter, and Chantel's three children couldn't either, but in hiding the body serious evidence also was hidden," she said.
Jean Taylor described the actions of Wynne in desecrating and concealing her daughter's body as "beyond words."
"There has to be a combined sentence for our judges who come across these types of killers," she said.
"For those who go beyond murder - there has to be another sentence which I am crying and campaigning for."
"What he did to Chantel was beyond any normal person's mind of thinking, and my daughter deserves justice and so do I, her brothers, sister and three children.
Respect has to be given and certainly for someone's body."
Justice Minister Davies-Jones stated:
"[Jean Taylor] will know that the Law Commission are looking at specifically desecration of a body, and that work is ongoing, and that we as a government, when they report back, will look at that carefully to see what more we can do."
Stephen Wynne's original life sentence was later reduced on appeal to 18 years, and he has now been released.
Under the terms of his parole, Wynne is prohibited from entering Merseyside; however, Taylor expressed dissatisfaction with this restriction.
"I've failed, he's out there," she said.
Since her daughter's murder, Jean Taylor established the charity Families Fighting For Justice, which advocates for tougher murder laws and provides support to families affected by such crimes.
She has previously collaborated with other victims of crime to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for life sentences to "mean life."
Taylor emphasized the significance a law named after Chantel would hold for her and her family.
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