THE family of local murder victim Lisa Dorrian have thrown their weight behind new legislation that could see murderers face tougher sentences if they do not disclose the location of their victim’s remains.
Justice Minister Naomi Long has confirmed that she intends to bring forward legislation in support of Charlotte’s Law that could affect a perpetrator’s parole and include incentives for co-operation.
This latest legislative move comes as Lisa Dorrian’s family face the 19th anniversary of her disappearance at the end of February.
Twenty five year-old Lisa was last seen at a party in a Ballyhalbert caravan park in 2005. She is believed to have been murdered and her body has never been found.
The proposal for Charlotte’s Law is supported by Lisa’s family who have campaigned tirelessly for anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward.
Lisa’s sister Joanne believes the new legislation will help give ‘peace’ to families whose loved ones have been murdered and will also allow them to ‘grieve for their loved ones’.
Their ultimate goal is to bury Lisa with her mother Patricia, who sadly passed away with a broken heart following her daughter’s disappearance.
Mrs Long has said she intends to bring legislation forward during the current mandate as part of the Sentencing Bill. She has said her department has tried to work with families to find ways to encourage killers to volunteer information about where victims’ remains were.
The new law is named after Charlotte Murray who was murdered and secretly buried by her ex-partner. Thirty four year-old Charlotte went missing in 2012 and her body has never been found. Her former partner Johnny Miller was convicted of her murder.
“The legislation is important,” said Joanne. “It is difficult to get a conviction for a no body murder but when the perpetrator is sentenced, anything else that will really incentivise them to tell them where the body of the loved one is, is welcome.
“In Charlotte’s Law there are a whole range of measures that will incentivise perpetrators to say where they have put the victim’s body. It is to give families peace and to allow them to grieve properly for their loved ones.”
Despite extensive search operations, the most recent in Ballyhalbert’s picturesque Clay Pits, and thousands of lines of enquiries examined by police, Lisa’s body has not been recovered and her killers have not been brought to justice.
Joanne said her family’s involvement in the Charlotte’s Law campaign had helped ensure they ‘did not run out of hope’ in their quest to bring Lisa home.
“After almost 19 years you could think maybe we are never going to get her back,” said Joanne. “And even if we get justice, maybe we still won’t be able to find Lisa.”
However she said the campaign ‘gives you hope every day’ and if someone was brought to justice for Lisa’s murder they would have a ‘way forward to find Lisa’s body’.
The devoted sister said it was still hard to believe that her sister had been missing for 19 years but they were encouraged by the ongoing ‘active’ police investigation.
“We have lived it every day and can’t believe it is 19 years.
“We are focusing on things like Charlotte’s Law and we have a very active investigation. We had a four hour meeting with police before Christmas about Lisa and it by no means wrapping up. They are working hard every day.”
Said Joanne: “I have said it for 19 years, I am hopeful we can get justice, it is all about finding Lisa and bringing someone to justice and I think we will be able to do that.”
