Family of murdered PCSO Julia James fume ‘where is the outrage?’ in wake of mum’s death

A cousin of murdered PCSO Julia James has angrily questioned why there has not been “huge outrage” following her death over a week ago.

Samantha Griffin took to Facebook to drum up support to help find the “vile human” that killed Ms James with a murder investigation opened but no arrests made.

The PCSO, 53, was found dead in woodland in Snowdown, near Canterbury, last Tuesday having taken her Jack Russell dog for a walk. She lived in a small village nearby with her husband and the death has shocked the local community.

It comes less than two months since the body of murdered Sarah Everard was found 25 miles away in Great Chart, Kent.

“Where is the uproar about my beautiful cousin? Where is the huge outrage and pouring of despair? Where are the vigils and protests about her murder?” wrote Ms Griffin.

‘She was walking her dog, near her home. That’s all […] and somebody must know something about what happened!

“The person who did this, is walking our streets and your communities… so let’s stand up and make sure we swamp social media with her beautiful face in the hope that we can get information or the vile human who did this decides to hold their hands up. Our family, her friends and colleagues will not rest.”

Candles were lit on Wednesday night after the PCSO’s daughter Bethan Coles asked people to take part in memory of her mum.

She did not want a vigil as she felt it could take policing resources away from the murder investigation.

“I’m so grateful for people sharing posts for #justiceforjulia. A number of people have asked about holding a vigil for mum, and whilst I am so grateful for people wanting to remember her, I am very conscious that any gathering would need to be policed (if it was even allowed),” she wrote on Facebook.

“I’ve discussed this with my family and we are in agreement that we would prefer all police resources to be concentrating on the investigation as there is so much work to be done.”

Boris Johnson paid tribute to Ms James tweeting: “Tonight we remember PCSO Julia James. My thoughts are with her friends and family.”

Kent’s Chief Constable Alan Pughsley vowed to find Ms James’ killer.

“You can imagine that the force are in deep shock with regard to what’s happened to Julia,” he said.

“We will do all we can to find out whoever did this to bring them to justice.”