Chantel Taylor’s family with Esther McVey MP at Downing Street (Image: Jonathan buckmaster)
The family of a murdered and dismembered woman whose remains have never been found are “living a life sentence” because of a lack of justice.
Chantel Taylor’s sister, mother and daughter took their fight for a change in the law to Sir ’s doorstep at No10 Downing Street on Thursday alongside Esther McVey MP.
The mother of three was brutally murdered with a meat cleaver by former soldier Stephen Wynne near his home in Birkenhead, in Merseyside, in March 2004.
But despite Wynne telling police her body was in places including a household bin and in undergrowth at a park five miles from his home, her remains have never been found.
The grieving family have demanded that killers serve a mandatory 40 year sentence, without parole, for murder when a victim’s remains are not found through Chantel’s Law,
They have gone further by insisting that murderers who dismember a body, and never reveal its location, should never be freed from prison.
The Express is backing their calls through the Families Fighting for Justice crusade.
Wynne, who was 26 at the time, was jailed for a minimum term of 21 years. But it was later reduced to 18 years by the Court of Appeal.
It comes as Wynne won the right to be moved to an open prison in May last year after a judge dismissed a government objection.
Chantel’s sister Natasha Crofts, 53, said: “It means a lot to be here but also we shouldn’t be here. Chantel’s Law should already be in place. We shouldn’t be here. Chantel’s Law should have already been in place. We shouldn’t have to be doing this.
“To dismember somebody and they’re not even in their coffin. You should never get out of prison. There’s murder and then there’s dismemberment and then there’s nothing. You’re left with nothing. It’s absolutely disgusting.
“If you’re not going to tell a family where their loved ones remains are, then why should you get out? We’re all living a life sentence. Why is evil Stephen Wynne allowed to get out? Where are my sister’s remains? Where are they? They are not in a cemetery. They have not been blessed. Chantel’s Law beads to be put in place so no one else has to suffer what we’re suffering which is a life sentence to every single one of my family.
“If this law goes through, it would mean the world to me because we shouldn’t have to suffer like this. It’s horrific. It’s horrendous.”
Chantel’s mother Jean’s demands for an overhaul in the law are backed by more than 10,000 signatures on a petition which was handed to No10 on Thursday.
She was also joined by florist Whitney, Chantel’s 31-year-old daughter.
Long-time campaigner Jean has written to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick to support her push to get Chantel’s Law on the statute books.
She also met with Prisons Minister James Timpson in October.
Speaking on Thursday alongside Ms McVey, Jean said: “It’s been a long journey. A very long journey. That extra pain and suffering that it has caused myself as a mother, her three children, her sisters and brothers is unimaginable. No other family, like us, who loses a loved one in such horrific and barbaric circumstances.
“Murder is murder. Murder and then dismemberment needs to be combined with murder and that’s where Chantel’s Law comes in.”
Chantel Taylor’s family alongside Esther McVey outside No10 Downing Street (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Chantel’s Law is backed by a petition signed by more than 10,000 people (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Ms McVey, who has known Jean for over 20 years, slammed the “brute” who has caused “eternal pain” by murdering and desecrating Chantel.
The former Cabinet minister is backing the family’s calls for a change in the law.
She said: “This murderer has to reveal what he did and where [Jean’s] daughter is so she can be laid to rest.”
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: “This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Chantel Taylor’s family and friends.
“Murderers face a longer time behind bars if they do not disclose the location of their victim’s body because the Parole Board is legally obliged to consider this when deciding if they are safe to release after serving their minimum term.”