Georgia's parents: Our hope that murderer will lose his appeal

Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London after Jamie Reynolds appealed against his full life term yesterday, Steven and Lynnette Williams said they were hopeful that the killer's bid for eventual freedom would be quashed.

Mr Williams, a detective constable at West Mercia Police said: "Hopefully justice will be done for Georgia. It's the judges' decision now and it could go either way.

"But we are optimistic. That's all we can be.

"As a dad I want him to rot in hell for ever and a day.

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"As a policeman I abide by the rules of this country and the justice system. And if a whole life sentence is the highest punishment we can give, then that's what I want.

"Any reduction in Reynolds' sentence would be a moral victory for him and, to put it plainly, a slap in the face for us. He planned and chose what he did to Georgia. He is master of his own destiny. "

Mr Williams said facing a wait of what could be weeks for the appeal judgement was "tantamount to waiting for the original trial or the original verdict".

He added: "I can't tell you the emotion we are feeling. What you see here is a facade. We grieve everyday in private. And the tension in the courtroom. . . Lynnette said she felt like standing up and shouting it's all wrong. It's like Georgia is on trial and the family is on trial and if any leeway is given to him it devalues Georgia's life."

Mrs Williams said: "We shouldn't have to be in this position. But we've got to be here because we've got to make sure justice is done for our child. But we are still hurting. It doesn't go away."

Reynolds appealed on the grounds that his age, guilty plea and psychiatric problems had not been given enough weight when he was sentenced, back in December, to life behind bars.

But Mr Williams said: "If you go to the word of the law, Reynolds was 22 and a half and Georgia is under 18 so that makes him culpable in law of killing a child. They are arguing that because he is so young that should be taken into consideration. But the crime was so nasty and premeditated it shows the maturity of someone who has been a criminal for a long time. And in his own head that's what he was. He wanted to kill women for a long time. At the end of the day he's murdered Georgia.

"He had to plead guilty, there was too much evidence. He pleaded guilty on the day of the trial but he knew he had killed Georgia on May 26, 2013. He hasn't shown any remorse."

Mrs Williams said: "If he was let out he could do this all over again."