The children of a PCSO who was brutally killed as she walked her dog hope her murderer will never be released from prison.

Callum Wheeler, 22, was earlier this month given a life sentence with a 37-year minimum term for bludgeoning Julia James to death in Snowdown, near Canterbury, last year.

This came after a jury took little more than an hour at the end of a six-day trial to convict him of murdering the much-loved mum-of-two on a remote footpath on April 27, 2021.

But now Julia’s children have urged the authorities never to allow twisted Wheeler out of jail.

Writing on Facebook, they said: “In the year or so since mum’s death, we have been to many meetings with the police and attended numerous hearings in preparation for the trial.

“The verdict was guilty. Sentencing followed a few weeks later and the killer was sentenced to a minimum term of 37 years before he will be eligible for parole.

“We just hope he will be considered too dangerous to ever be released.

“We could say many things about him but we will not waste any more energy.

“Instead, our family will honour mum and remember her every day in everything that we do.”

When Wheeler was sentenced, the Judge Mr Justice Mark Wall told him that although he is an inpatient at HMP Broadmoor, "there is no clear evidence of a direct link to your disorder and the offence".

The court also heard heartbreaking statements from Julia’s family, including husband Paul, who said her death has left his life “empty”.

He told the judge: “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?"

Prosecutors described Julia’s killing as “sexually motivated,” explaining Wheeler’s DNA was discovered on her chest.

They added that Wheeler repeatedly made sexualised and vile remarks towards officers, said Julia "deserved to die", and threatened to rape women, while in custody.

Police also prevented Wheeler from performing a sex act on himself.

Mitigating for Wheeler, Oliver Blunt QC pointed to the fact Wheeler was 21 at the time of the attack and that there was "no evidence of sexual assault".

But he conceded the killer was "highly sexualised", saying his behaviour stemmed from his being "grossly immature".

He added: "This was a horrific case.

"Julia James did nothing to justify what was an appalling assault upon her.”

Julia's body was discovered by a family walking in Ackholt Wood on the afternoon of April 27.

The police community support officer was just 400 metres from her home and had been walking her Jack Russell, Toby, when she was violently attacked.

Her death rocked the community and sparked a huge manhunt - one of Kent Police's largest murder investigations to date.

On May 7, Wheeler was arrested at his home in Sunshine Corner Avenue, Aylesham, just a mile from where Julia was killed.

As he was booked into custody at Maidstone Police Station, he said: "Sometimes I do things I cannot control."

Detectives found the murder weapon - a metre-long handle of a tool used to lift pieces of railway track - propped up against Wheeler's bedroom wall, wrapped in carrier bags.

It would later emerge that Wheeler, who has a history of mental illness, had prowled the area with the weapon in the days before and after his attack on Julia.

Giving evidence at the trial, a pathologist described Julia's "completely unsurvivable" head injuries as "the worst I have seen".