Julia James murder: PCSO's uncle in plea to find killer

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Julia JamesImage source, KM Group
Image caption,

Julia James had been working with victims of domestic abuse

The uncle of murdered PCSO Julia James has appealed on social media for help to find her killer.

Michael Turnbull wrote he had loved his niece since the day she was born and called her attacker "a monster".

Ms James was found with head injuries in woodland near Dover on Tuesday. There have been no arrests and no possible motive given.

It has emerged the National Crime Agency is providing specialist support to Kent Police.

Officers continued combing woodland near Aylesham over the weekend and mourners - including her colleagues from the Kent force - continued to lay floral tributes in the village.

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

Teams of officers have continued searching the woodland over the weekend

On Facebook, Mr Turnbull urged the public to share his post and said: "Julia has been taken from us by some worthless, cowardly excuse for a human being for no other reason than his own sense of self gratification to justify what he did, leaving behind a family full of broken hearts and sadness.

"Please share this and let us find this monster before he can cause more grief to another family."

He said his niece - a daughter, mother and grandmother - was funny, kind and caring, had always seen the good in people and most of all had been "full of love".

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

Mourners have continued laying floral tributes, including Ms James's colleagues from the force

Ms James's body was found in Akholt Wood, Snowdown, a few hundred yards from her house, after she had taken her dog for a walk.

A post-mortem examination found she died from blunt force trauma, but police have not commented on any potential weapon and have not said if there were signs of a struggle.

Image source, Kent Police
Image caption,

Julia James' uncle said his niece had always seen the good in people

'Remain vigilant'

At a press conference on Friday, Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards declined to rule out Ms James may have been killed by a stranger, someone she came across during her work, someone trying to steal her dog, or as part of a sexual assault.

Officers said they were considering "all possible" motives.

Police in Dover have tweeted, external that people in the area are advised to remain vigilant until the full circumstances of Ms James's death are established.

Ms James, 53, joined Kent Police in 2008 and had been working with domestic abuse victims while based in Canterbury.

Her death has led to concern in the local community which is less than three miles from the village of Chillenden, where Lin Russell and her six-year-old daughter Megan were murdered in a while walking their dogs in 1996.

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