Parents hope for justice as man is charged with Milly's murder

THE parents of Milly Dowler were last night hoping their long wait for justice could soon be over after prosecutors said a former nightclub doorman will go on trial accused of killing their daughter.

Levi Bellfield, 41, will be charged with kidnapping the 13-year-old eight years ago as she walked home from school before killing her.

The former doorman and wheelclamper, originally from West Drayton, Middlesex, will appear in custody before Staines Magistrates' Court on 13 April.

He will also be charged with attempting to kidnap 12-year-old Rachel Cowles the day before Milly disappeared.

The decision follows a multimillion pound police inquiry into one of Britain's best-known unsolved murders.

Amanda Dowler, known to her family as Milly, disappeared while walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, on 21 March 2002.

Six months later, her skeletal remains were found 30 miles away by mushroom pickers in Yateley Heath, Hampshire.

Her parents, Bob and Sally Dowler, thanked detectives for their "painstaking work" over the past eight years.

In a statement, they said: "It's very hard to say how we feel after eight long and difficult years.

"We are extremely grateful to Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall and her investigating team for their painstaking work and support to us over the years.

"We are pleased that Levi Bellfield has been charged with abduction and murder and hope this will go some way towards providing justice for our darling Milly."

Bellfield was first interviewed over Milly's death five years ago after he was held by the Metropolitan Police.

Officials at the Crown Prosecution Service's complex casework unit began considering a huge dossier of evidence last September. The five files of material, drawn together by Surrey Police's "Operation Ruby" team, include new evidence against Bellfield obtained in December 2008.

Officers believe they also have compelling circumstantial evidence which links him to the crime.

Bellfield was living with his girlfriend Emma Mills a short distance from where Milly was last seen at the time of her disappearance.

A heavily loaded red Daewoo Nexia, owned by Miss Mills, was caught on CCTV driving away from the area at about the time Milly disappeared.

The distinctive car has never been recovered by police who have searched a large number of lakes and questioned a scrap dealer.

A similar car was involved in the incident the previous day in which a 12-year-old girl was offered a lift home in Shepperton.

This event is understood to be what lies behind the first charge, an allegation that Bellfield attempted to kidnap Miss Cowles.

Prosecutor Nigel Pilkington said a summons had been obtained from Staines Magistrates' Court and would soon be served on Bellfield.

He said: "During my review of the file, I asked the police to conduct further investigations in relation to specific matters, which I considered would have an important bearing on my decision in this complex case.

"Those investigations were completed in February of this year.

"After reviewing all the evidence in this case, I have now reached the decision that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to charge Levi Bellfield with three offences."