The family of Jane Harrison say they are “devastated” her killer will be released from jail after only six years – despite never revealing what he did with her body.
Kevin Doherty was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years at the Old Bailey in 2013 – 18 years after Jane’s disappearance.
The mother-of-two, of Poet’s Road, Newington Green, was last seen shopping with her married lover Doherty in Wood Green on June 15, 1995.
Police believe the cabbie, of Buckhurst Hill in Essex, killed her and took her body to a lock-up garage, then reporting her missing the next day. Jane’s mother Dillis, who raised her two sons, died in 2010 not knowing what happened.
Now her sister Maxine has received a letter saying Doherty will be released in November next year.
“After what he’s done to us,” she told the Gazette. “He’s destroyed the lot of us – it’s a disgrace. Every day we are no nearer to finding Jane.
“He’s going to be allowed to walk free and not tell us where our sister is, he’s making a mockery of us. We are devastated – we can’t bury her, can’t mourn her.
“Where has the British justice gone? My mum and dad have died now – gone to the grave without knowing what happened. Me and my sister are still fighting it. It’s a shambles.”
The family have been campaigning for “Helen’s law” to be introduced and have sat in Parliament with Marie McCourt, whose daughter Helen was murdered in 1988.
Like Jane, Helen’s body has never been found and Marie has gathered 400,000 signatures calling for a “no body, no parole” law. Despite the bill being passed a year ago, it has still not been made legislation and Maxine now feels it will come too late for them.
She continued: “He’s never going to talk, and by the time this gets passed through he will have done his sentence. It’s too late for us. How do they give you a 12-year sentence and you only do six? It’s absolutely disgusting.”
The family renewed their appeal for information two years ago on BBC Crimewatch. Police offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of her remains, but it was unsuccessful.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here