Family Opposes Release of Convicted Murderer Russell Causley, Who Concealed Wife's Body
Russell Causley, 79, convicted of murdering his wife Carole Packman in 1985, is set to be released from prison. His daughter, Samantha Gillingham, previously Cat Razzell, has stated that her father should remain incarcerated until he discloses the location of her mother's remains.
Ms Gillingham, who was 13 at the time of her mother's disappearance, emphasised the ongoing torment caused by the undisclosed burial site. Causley received a life sentence in 1996 for the murder, having staged his wife's disappearance and subsequently confessed to the crime in 2014, although he later retracted this admission. His initial conviction was quashed in 2003, but he was retried and convicted again in 2004.
The Parole Board granted Causley's release, concluding that he no longer posed a significant risk. This decision follows a highly publicised judicial review in 2020 after the board initially refused his release due to his consistent denial of the murder. The High Court subsequently ruled that the board had not adequately considered Causley's deception and control, leading to a fresh review.
Ms Gillingham, who has campaigned for 'Helen's Law' – legislation requiring parole boards to consider a killer's failure to reveal the location of a victim's body – expressed her frustration. She stated that the law, though passed, has not provided the intended outcome in her case, as Causley's continued silence has not prevented his release. The case highlights the contentious balance between prisoner rehabilitation and the enduring suffering of victims' families.
