Serial killer Levi Bellfield wins battle to marry girlfriend in prison

Serial killer Levi Bellfield - who is serving two life sentences - will be allowed to marry his girlfriend in prison.

The 55-year-old was found guilty on 25 February, 2008, of the murders of Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003 and Amélie Delagrange, 22, in 2004 - along with the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy in the same year.

On June 23, 2011, Bellfield was further found guilty of the murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler, who he snatched from the street walking from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in 2002.

And just last month he allegedly confessed to the murder of Elizabeth Chau, 19, who went missing 24 years ago.

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Despite his horrific crimes, Bellfield, who is being held at Durham’s Frankland Prison, has threatened a human rights case if he was not allowed to get married in prison, calling it discrimination.

He reportedly received as much as £30,000 in legal aid to fund his case after his lawyers cited the European Convention on Human Rights and the 1983 Marriage Act.

Ex-Metropolitan Police officer Michael Hames told The Sun: “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.”

One government source also told the publication: “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.”

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Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke added: “This is a disgusting insult to the victims and their families.

“This is a man who took away the human rights of young girls and women, including the right to live their lives and marry.

“Yet he is demanding the right to do so using human rights law.

“The Justice Secretary needs to move as quickly as possible to get this legislation through and make sure that no other people this evil can exploit this situation again.”

Former Met Police DCI Colin Sutton - who helped take down Bellfield - called the situation 'an absolute absurdity'.

He said: “The problem is that human rights legislation in this country often works in favour of people like him ahead of victims and the general public.

“I feel some sympathy for this woman as I know he will be able to exert coercive control but am pleased he will never be freed so he can physically harm her.”