PCSO Julia James: Daughter 'so proud of mum's work'

Julia James's body was found near her home in Snowdown

The daughter of PCSO Julia James has spoken of her pride in her mother's work helping victims of domestic abuse.

The body of the 52-year-old was found in Akholt Wood, near her home in Snowdown, near Dover, in Kent on 27 April.

Writing on Facebook, Bethan Coles said she felt "so lucky to be her daughter".

"I have received messages from a number of women who mum had met during the course of her work; in which she supported victims of domestic abuse."

Ms James joined Kent Police in 2008 as a crime reduction PCSO.

She had recently worked supporting victims of domestic abuse in Kent Police's Vulnerability Investigation Team, based at Canterbury police station.

Ms Coles wrote: "It makes me so proud when I hear about how she has helped and supported these women through their terrible experiences.

"I'm so lucky to be her daughter".

The body of Ms James, who had left home to walk her dog, was found a few hundred yards from her house.

A post-mortem examination found she died from blunt force trauma.

Callum Wheeler, 21, from Aylesham, has been charged with her murder and is next due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on 8 June.

A Walk of Peace is due to take place in Aylesham on Wednesday, and Ms James's cousin, Sam Griffin, is organising a series of walks around the UK and abroad on 23 May.

Dover Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke said a proposed law to support victims should be known as "Julia's Bill".

She said Ms James was "a popular pillar of our community" who supported women and girls who were victims of violence.

She said: "For me and so many of my community, the victims' bill should be known simply as Julia's Bill in recognition of the support she gave to so many people when they were vulnerable and in need."

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