Levi Bellfield 'wins battle to marry girlfriend in prison' while serving life sentences for multiple murders

16 June 2023, 00:50 | Updated: 16 June 2023, 01:00

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Serial killer Levi Bellfield has 'won' his battle to marry his girlfriend after prison chiefs were forced to concede that he would likely win a human rights case.

Bellfield will spend the rest of his life behind for bars after murdering at least three young women, including Milly Dowler.

The sick killer threatened legal action if prison chiefs continued to block his attempts to marry his girlfriend, with whom he is reportedly "besotted", The Sun reports.

He claimed to have been the victim of discrimination after officers banned him from wearing an engagement ring.

Bellfield won his legal aid, which reportedly cost around £30,000.

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Bellfield's legal victory has sparked fury, with many considering it an insult to his victims.

Former Metropolitan Police officer Michael Hames told the publication: "This is ridiculous and wrong on many levels.

"How can human rights be used to justify this when he took away the human rights of innocent girls and women?

"This makes a nonsense of the law, and the sooner it is changed the better."

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The government had previously promised to consider changing the law to stop the likes of Bellfield marrying while behind bars.

Dominic Raab, the former deputy prime minister and justice secretary - who has since quit - previously branded Bellfield’s bid to use taxpayer money as “wrong”.

He told LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast in March: "Let me just be crystal clear with you, Nick – I don’t think it is appropriate and I’m going to change the law.

“But I also think there’s a question around the risk to anyone that would marry an offender as egregious as in this case Levi Bellfield.

“What we’re protectively do to make sure vulnerable people aren’t subject to that element of risk.“So on both factors, I’m committed to doing what we can to prevent that taking place."

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With Mr Raab being forced to resign following bullying allegations, there appears to be no imminent plans to change the law to prevent Bellfield's marriage.

One government source said: |The sad fact is that — with the way the law stands — there are no grounds to stop him getting married.

"So it will go ahead and they are deciding when to tell Bellfield they are approving the decision.“It sticks in the craw — but at least it would avoid it going to court."