A West Malling mum is horrified after a man jailed for his part in her daughter’s murder appears to have tried to contact the family from his prison cell.

The body of 24-year-old Lauren Patterson, whose family home is in Leybourne Chase, was found burned beyond recognition in the Doha desert in 2013. A knife was still lodged in her rib cage.

Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabr was found guilty of her murder the following March and sentenced to death, although that conviction has since been quashed and a retrial arranged.

Mohamed Abdallah Hassan Abdul Aziz was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for helping to dispose of Lauren’s body by burning it, as well as damaging and getting rid of other evidence.

His appeal for another hearing was rejected.

Now a man the family recognise as Aziz has approached Lauren’s younger sister Georgia on social networking site Instagram, used for sharing photos and videos with friends.

Lauren’s mother, Alison, 51, said the request to “follow” her daughter on the site had left them both distressed, adding: “He is apparently still in prison and should not have a phone but obviously he does.

“This is how little these men care about what has happened.”

The matter was reported to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the profile now appears to have been deleted.

The disturbing approach came in the same week Mrs Patterson launched a fundraising campaign to help her pay £30,000 in legal fees and travel expenses for the retrial of al-Jabr.

In less than two weeks, strangers pledged more than £25,000 online, meaning she has been able to book her flight to the Gulf state for the proceedings.

Mrs Patterson added: “I cannot believe everyone’s generosity. I’m praying for justice.”

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/KMpatterson