The family of murder victim Helen McCourt say her killer painted a “chilling” picture of her behind bars.
Insurance clerk Helen was 22 when she was murdered walking home from work in 1988 by pub landlord Ian Simms, who is being prepared for release.
Helen’s mum Marie, 75, is campaigning for “Helen’s Law” so killers who refuse to reveal the location of bodies stay in jail.
She said: “The painting is the spitting image of my daughter. It’s a copy of a Toulouse-Lautrec, with changes.
“He’s added a long neck, with blood. Police believe Simms strangled Helen with a cable flex.
No Body No Parole: Murderers who won't reveal where victims are 'should NEVER get parole'
“The girl has a bloody cheek, detectives think Helen was punched due to splatters on walls.
“In the original the dancer is wearing two boots, the girl has one. One shoe was found with Helen’s clothes. We believe the picture is his memory of her lying dead on his floor.”
Simms is understood to have painted the picture in 1993. Around three years later a stranger handed it to Marie, saying: “It’s only right you have this.”
The work shows a man, who the family think is Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe. It is signed “Simo”, Simms’ nickname.
It is understood Simms, held at Leyhill open prison in Gloucester, gave his work to the sister of his ex-mistress, and it was found abandoned in a flat.
Marie, who stores the painting in her garage in Billinge, Wigan, said: “I hoped it might offer clues to Helen’s body.”
In 2015 she launched her campaign for a “No Body No Parole” law in the Mirror. Almost 600,000 people have signed petitions in support.
Marie said: “Every day I think about where Helen might be.”
- To sign the petition go to www.change.org/helenslaw
