THE mother of murdered Becky Godden-Edwards has issued the call for justice for her daughter by launching a national petition.

Karen Edwards has started an online petition on the Government’s website calling for an urgent review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

It follows a decision by a top judge that a senior detective breached the codes of practice.

Last month Christopher Halliwell, of Asbury Avenue, Nythe, was jailed for life at Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty to Sian O’Callaghan's murder. But, despite also leading detectives to Becky’s body, a ruling by Mrs Justice Cox to exclude his confession as evidence in a potential trial meant Wiltshire Police had no other evidence to link him to her killing and the second charge was withdrawn. Now Karen, 52, is urging the public to support her cause and add their voice to the clamour for justice.

She said: “The law should be more flexible to protect victims and prevent injustices like the one Becky has suffered.”

The online petition reads: “Evidence of a confession by Halliwell to Becky’s murder was ruled inadmissible by the Court on the basis of serious breaches of Code C by a senior investigating police officer. “Therefore, the court could not be satisfied the confession had not been obtained by oppression (Section 76[2]{a}) and that to admit the evidence would be unfair pursuant to Section 78 of PACE.

“Consequently, this terrible crime remains unsolved. “We call on the Government for an urgent review of the operation of Code C to ensure injustices such as this do not happen again.”

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland, who is also a criminal barrister, said he would throw his full support behind the campaign for a review of PACE.

“I'm obviously supporting both Mr and Mrs Edwards and when I met them last week I reiterated what I said in Parliament,” he said.

“I am going to do everything I can to help. “The codes of practice are not tablets of stone, they are regularly updated in the light of experience – it is now time that we had another look.”

When a petition reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee.

The petition is currently waiting approval from the website, but should be online with the next day or two. To sign the petition visit epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ and search for Justice For Becky.