Carmarthenshire family urge new law on destroying remains

Carmarthenshire family urge new law on destroying remains

The family of a man who was murdered and had his body burned by his killer is advocating for the criminalization of desecrating a body as a standalone offense. Michael O’Leary, also known as Mike, was tragically murdered in 2020 by his friend Andrew Jones, who then proceeded to burn his remains. Mike’s sister, Lesley Rees, lamented the fact that they may never discover what Jones did with the rest of the remains, leaving them with only a small portion to bury. Multiple families affected by similar incidents are set to meet with the Ministry of Justice to push for the creation of a law that specifically addresses the desecration of remains.

Jones took the life of 55-year-old Mike O’Leary in January 2020 after learning about an affair between Mike and his wife. The gruesome events unfolded at Jones’s remote farm in Concoed, near the village of Cwmffrwd, where he fatally shot Mike with a .22 Colt rifle before burning his body on a stack of wooden pallets back at home. Following the murder, forensic experts were only able to recover a 6cm piece of intestine from Mike, leaving his family with an agonizingly small piece to lay to rest. Jones was subsequently convicted of murder and is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years.

The harrowing experience of losing a loved one to such violence is magnified when there is no body to bid farewell to, as articulated by Ms. Rees. She emphasized the need for legislation similar to those in Germany and the United States that criminalize desecrating human remains. Through their advocacy efforts, Mr. O’Leary’s relatives are throwing their support behind Helen’s Law Part Two: Stop the Desecration, which aims to modernize burial laws and establish specific penalties for such egregious acts. Families of other victims, such as Sarah Everard and April Jones, also back the expansion of Helen’s Law, seeking justice for their loved ones and closure for themselves.

Ann Davies, a Plaid Cymru MP representing Caerfyrddin, echoed the sentiments of the affected families, emphasizing the importance of enacting Helen’s Law Part Two to demonstrate a zero-tolerance policy towards such cruelty. Recognizing the ongoing pain and unresolved questions haunting these families, she stressed the necessity of providing closure and accountability for those who desecrate the remains of others. As advocates continue their fight for justice and reform, the hope is that legislative changes will prevent future atrocities and bring solace to those grappling with the trauma of not knowing the fate of their cherished relatives

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