National Assembly for Wales

To propose that the Senedd:

1.  Notes the provisions of Helen’s Law, formally the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act 2020, which requires the parole board to consider whether offenders have disclosed the location of a victim’s remains or identified child victims when making parole decisions.

2. Recognises that the Act was introduced following the case of Helen McCourt, whose killer has never disclosed the location of her body, and that non-disclosure continues to cause significant and ongoing distress to victims’ families.

3. Notes calls for the introduction of Helen’s Law Part 2: Stop the Desecration, which seeks to reform burial and sentencing laws, including the creation of a new criminal offence of desecrating a body.

4. Further notes the introduction of similar provisions in Northern Ireland through Charlotte’s Law, including making the concealment of a victim’s remains a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing; providing incentives for cooperation in the recovery of remains, and placing a duty on parole authorities to consider non-disclosure.

5. Recognises that the implementation of these measures in Northern Ireland demonstrates that such reforms are achievable elsewhere within the UK.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to support the consideration of equivalent legislative reforms, in collaboration with the UK Government, to strengthen justice and provide greater dignity and closure for victims and their families.