AN “arrogant” murderer who has never revealed the location of his wife’s body has not changed and should remain in prison, according to his grandson.

Veronica Packman, of Westbourne, went missing from the family home in Ipswich Road shortly after visiting a solicitor to enquire about getting a divorce in 1985.

Her husband, Russell Causley, who took the name of his mistress Patricia Causley and moved in with her a year before Veronica went missing, was convicted of her murder in 1994.

As reported in the Daily Echo last weekend, his daughter Samantha Gillingham and grandson Neil Gillingham attended a parole hearing, appealing for the killer to remain behind bars.

Neil claims he has been faced with a sense of panic following the prospect of his release and is now fearful of what might happen to his family if “controlling” and “violent” Causley is freed.

“He believes he has got a human right,” he added.

“As far as he is concerned he is over tariff now and it is time for him to be released into society.

“I think what is difficult is he has not openly admitted to what he has done.

“He has not engaged with the authorities. All he has done is maintain the same arrogance.”

Causley has always refused to reveal the whereabouts of Veronica’s body, something Neil said has never allowed his mother to achieve a sense of closure.

The family claim the murderer beat his wife and humiliated her by dumping uneaten meals over her head, before forcing daughter Samantha to live under a pier aged just 16.

Neil said: “He is a controlling man and he exerts the same level of control whether he is in the public or behind prison doors, because he won’t actually admit to what he has done.

“I am fearful that his mindset hasn’t changed. He hasn’t admitted to what he has done. He hasn’t said he wants to draw a line under this.”

Neil pleaded with the parole board to “show some humanity” and keep him behind bars.

“Why is it the case that the victims’ families are being forgotten?

“Why haven’t we got human rights and why are the human rights of the perpetrator always put first?

“My grandmother isn’t here ultimately to be able to argue this point.

“I would like them to put her first for once.”

Message to killer Causley

Neil has never met Causley, saying he was disappointed the “coward” did not turn up to the parole hearing.

However, he had this message for him: “If you want to be released it is absolutely fine, we won’t stop you. But you need to be able to make a change; you need to prove that you have changed and that your risk is significantly reduced – not only to us but the public.

“The only way you can do that is by engaging with the authorities and if it comes to a point where you tell us what happened to her, you tell us the story, you give us that closure – we will allow you to do that.”