Sex predator who murdered PCSO Julia James as she walked her dog jailed for life

8 July 2022, 13:51 | Updated: 8 July 2022, 14:42

A porn-obsessed loner who beat PCSO Julia James to death as she walked her dog in the woods has been jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years.

Callum Wheeler, 22, used a railway jack - a tool used to lift train tracks - to batter mother-of-two Mrs James to death as she near the back of her home in Snowdown, Kent.

The "angry, violent, strange, highly sexualised" monster lay in wait for a victim in woodland before pouncing on Julia, 53, on April 27 last year.

In a haunting twist, Julia had previously seen Wheeler in the woods and told her husband he was a "really weird dude".

He was found guilty on May 16 at Canterbury Crown Court. And today he had to be carried into the dock with handcuffs on to hear his sentence.

Sentencing Wheeler today, Mr Justice Wall told him: “The attack you launched on her was brutal and vicious.

"Your actions have not just served to end the one life prematurely but have also destroyed the lives of the whole of her family.

“I am drawn on the evidence to the obvious conclusion that this was a not a spur of the moment aberration by you.

“Rather it was an attack which was planned and thought through in advance.”

He added: “You were there looking for a lone female victim and you were sexually motivated to do so.”

Earlier Wheeler sat with his head bowed as his victim's family, including her husband Paul James, daughter Bethan Coles and son Patrick Davis, read their emotional victim impact statements.

Mr James said: "My hopes and dreams were taken. I truly felt I died too. My life has been jolted by the devastation and trauma. We went everywhere together. How do I do these things alone?

"My life is now empty. I want to know why this has happened. I cannot and still do not sleep at night. What do I do without her?"

Her son Patrick said: "The one person I would turn to in my darkest hour has now gone. If this individual got 30 years he'd be out the same age as my mum.

"All my family has been given a life sentence, a life without my mum. There's no reason he should be released in the same way there's no release from the pain and suffering he has caused."

The court was told chilling details of Julia's final moments as she was ambushed by Wheeler brandishing the 1m-long, 3kg weapon.

She "ran for her life" to escape the monster - with her soaring heart rate picked up by her Apple smart watch.

Tragically, the device also picked up her last breaths as her life ebbed away. Julia suffered "catastrophic" and "completely unsurvivable" injuries after being hit on the head repeatedly with the metal railway jack.

The attack was described as a "very violent and sustained assault to the head" - with a pathologist saying her injuries were "among the worst that I've seen".

Wheeler meanwhile fled the scene still carrying the huge murder weapon in a Tesco carrier bag.He came across a gamekeeper, who challenged the killer as he walked through a field the next day.

The brave worker took a photograph of Wheeler and called the police about a "suspicious fella". That picture was released by police on May 7 to the public and Wheeler was arrested later that day.

Read More: Man found guilty of murdering PCSO Julia James while she was walking her dog in Kent

Read More: PCSO Julia James' fight for life captured on Apple Watch as killer denies murder

Over the course of the investigation, 1,100 officers from Kent Police and other forces undertook extensive enquiries.

Dashcam footage and a photo of a man acting suspiciously were provided to Kent Police by a local resident. This led to the identification and arrest of Callum Wheeler.

Wheeler was arrested at his home in Sunshine Avenue, Aylesham, where officers found the jack handle wrapped in plastic bags and leaning against his bedroom wall.

He denied any wrongdoing however the jack handle was one of many items forensically examined and found to have both Wheeler’s and Julia’s DNA on it.

Detectives also examined footage from local CCTV, doorbell cameras and other video from a lorry and a bus, which put Wheeler at several key locations before and after the murder.

On arrest, Wheeler told officers "sometimes I do things that I cannot control" and "you can't go into the woods and expect to be safe".

He also told a member of police staff that he would return to the woodland and rape and kill a woman, and that Mrs James had deserved to die.

Kent Police Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said: "Julia’s death has had a profound effect on her friends, family and colleagues here at Kent Police and she is greatly missed.

"Callum Wheeler showed no remorse for his actions and put her family through an upsetting trial.

"No one should ever feel unsafe or be subjected to violence, there is never an excuse, and we know that this tragic event was deeply unsettling for Julia’s local community too.

"I would once again like to thank members of the public for their support throughout our investigation, it was clear how many people cared for and admired Julia. I hope the result today is reassuring for many people as Wheeler will remain behind bars.

"Whilst we may never know why Wheeler targeted Julia that day, we will continue to be dedicated to tackling violence and will hold offenders to account for their actions using all the powers at our disposal."

Senior Investigating Officer for the case, Detective Superintendent Gavin Moss, said: "Wheeler is an extremely dangerous individual and has shown he is a significant risk to women.

"As with any murder investigation, where the suspect remains at large, a significant amount of resources were required from the outset and the investigation had many challenges. It required a mix of skills and expertise.

"I’m so proud of the team for building a strong case against Wheeler, which has ultimately led us to this result today."