A Merseyside woman who fought for a change in the law after her 22-year-old daughter was murdered has been recognised at an awards event.
Marie McCourt campaigned to bring about a new law which could deny parole to killers who refuse to reveal where they hid their victim's body.
The new law is named after Marie's daughter Helen, whose murderer Ian Simms was released from prison despite refusing to reveal where he hid her body. He became a free man after 32 years behind bars.
Today Marie was recognised at the North West’s annual Inspiring Women Awards
A spokesperson for the awards said: "To lose a loved one to murder is devastating.
"To be denied their funeral causes unimaginable suffering. Community Award winner Marie McCourt from Merseyside has endured this for 33 years.
"Her daughter Helen’s murderer has never disclosed where her body is, denying Marie and her family the ability to say goodbye to their daughter. Not wanting other families to suffer in the same way, Marie campaigned government to introduce Helen's Law.
"This means that parole can be denied to killers who do not disclose the whereabouts of their victim’s remains.
"Her commitment and determination was rewarded this year, with the passing of Helen’s law, although too late to stop the release of Helen’s killer. "
Liverpool's Grace Vella, 23, who launched the UK’s first female football brand, won the Inspiring Young Women Award.
A spokesperson for the event said: "Grace Vella from Liverpool grew up in a ‘red’ house, rebelling against the ‘football isn’t for girls’ mantra by playing for Liverpool and Manchester City football clubs until she was 18 but still felt her gender held her back from full inclusion, be it ill-fitting kit, financial burdens or lack of playing opportunity.
"This feeling of being disadvantaged inspired her to launch Miss Kick, the UK’s first female football brand. Grace says it is not just a clothing brand but a movement to create positive change for girls and women in football and wider society."
Merseyside Police's Detective Chief Inspector Allison Woods was a joint winner of the Here Comes The Girls category.
DCI Woods was the first female Merseyside police officer to gain national firearms accreditation in 2015. In 2019 she became one of the force’s first female DCIs within the Operational Support Division which targeted organised crime groups.
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Professor Denise Barratt-Baxendale, CEO and Director of Everton Football Club, was one of the joint winners of the event's business award.
Prof Barratt-Baxendale spearheaded the transformation of the club’s official charity into an internationally acclaimed organisation, Everton in the Community, showing her commitment to a local social cause, and was the visionary behind Everton receiving government approval to open a free school.
Today's online awards lunch was hosted by founder and organiser businesswoman, Jacqueline Hughes-Lundy, and compered by Michelle Daniel, assistant editor of BBC Radio Stoke.
Jacqueline said to the ECHO : “Yes it was different - not having up to 300 people in a room. Yes it was different - not having a stage and lights and action. However, the sheer inspiration of women who had been nominated was undiminished.”
