Carole Packman murder: Russell Causley returned to prison

Aviation engineer Russell Causley murdered his wife Carole Packman in 1985

A murderer who refuses to reveal the whereabouts of his wife's body has been returned to jail after breaching his parole licence conditions.

Russell Causley, who killed Carole Packman in Bournemouth in 1985, was freed from prison last year.

The Probation Service said he had been taken back into custody on Saturday for breaching standard licence conditions of his parole.

Mrs Packman's family said he should "never have been released".

Causley, pictured in the 1980s, was jailed for fraud after a botched attempt to fake his own death

The family had opposed the Parole Board's decision to release Causley, arguing that he posed an ongoing risk to their safety.

They joined calls to introduce a law that would prevent murderers from being freed, if the haven't revealed the whereabouts of their victim's body.

However, the Parole Board said Causley, who was 77 at the time, was in poor health and unlikely to be able to cause harm.

The Probation Service said his recall was not over concerns that he had committed any more crimes.

It is understood he failed to attend or engage with his probation supervision.

The service said: "Protecting the public is our number one priority so when offenders breach the conditions of their release and potentially pose an increased risk, we don't hesitate to return them to custody."

Carole Packman disappeared in 1985

Mrs Packman's grandson, Neil Gillingham, said he heard of Causley's recall only weeks after receiving an update from the service which said he was being "compliant".

"The psychological trauma we've had to endure is beyond comprehension.

"He is in custody which is where he should be - we always said he could never be trusted."

Causley was twice jailed for Mrs Packman's murder - in 1996 and, after a quashed conviction, again in 2004.

He had initially evaded justice for the best part of a decade and was only exposed when he made a botched attempt to fake his own death as part of an elaborate insurance fraud.

Earlier this month, Colin Pitchfork, who raped and strangled two 15-year-old girls in Leicestershire in the 1980s, was recalled to prison for a breach of licence conditions after the Parole Board decided to release him.

Mr Gillingham said the Parole Board had "egg on its face" and called for its chief executive, Martin Jones, to resign.

Caulsley's case now has to be referred to the Parole Board within 28 days, after which it will be decided, potentially with a hearing, whether he should remain behind bars or be released.