Family's horror as Heather's 'sick' killer lauches appeal

THE brother of murdered Heather Stacey, whose remains were found dumped in bags in the Capital, today branded her killer "shameless and sick" for lodging an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Alan Cameron was ordered to spend at least 25 years behind bars for the murder of the 44-year-old mother-of-four, whose severed head was

discovered beside a path in Newhaven on Hogmanay 2008.

Now the 56-year-old, who admitted hiding Ms Stacey's body for more than a year, butchering it and disposing of itin bags but denied killing her, has lodged a bid for freedom.

The victim's brother, Tim Stacey, told the Evening News that "sick" Cameron had "absolutely no shame" in lodging the appeal, which would only prolong the trauma for her grieving children.

The 47-year-old security firm boss said a "weight had been lifted off their shoulders" after Cameron was found guilty, and condemned the convicted paedophile for "trying to work the system".

Cameron lodged a notice with the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh on Wednesday, confirming he intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Mr Stacey, who lives in Chippenham, Wiltshire, said: "I'm utterly amazed that this man could lodge an appeal against his conviction. Guilty was the unanimous verdict of the jury after an eight-day trial and it only took them two hours to decide.

"It's clear that this man has absolutely no shame after what he did to my sister and what he put her children through.

"Cameron has blood on his hands, the blood of my sister, but he clearly thinks he can work the system and try to secure an earlier release.

"It's Heather's children who have suffered most in all this. It's been traumatic for them. When they left court after the guilty verdict, it was like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They are just trying to move on with their lives. Now this sick man is dragging it all out again with this appeal."

During his trial, Cameron claimed he found the mother-of-four dead when he returned from buying chips.

The court heard how Cameron made a botched attempt to chop up Ms Stacey's body with a kitchen knife and, when he was unsuccessful, left the body to decompose in her Royston Mains Place flat for 13 months.

When the council moved to repossess the property towards the end of 2008, he pulled her decayed limbs apart, wrapped them and dumped them.

Mr Stacey added: "Nothing will ever bring Heather back, but I can only hope the appeal is thrown out as it undoubtedly deserves to be."

Cameron claimed during his trial that he was afraid to report Ms Stacey's death because a warrant was out for his arrest over claims he kicked a dog.

A jury rejected his story and convicted him of murdering Ms Stacey between 29 November and 11 December, 2007.

Jurors later found out he had been jailed for six and a half years in 1995 for nine sex offences against children.

Sentencing Cameron last month, Lord Matthews told him:

"Even in death you abused her and denied her any dignity."