The mother of a woman tragically discovered deceased in a churchyard has criticized the parole board for releasing her former partner. Colette Law, a 26-year-old from Greenock, Scotland, was found dead in a tent at St Mary and St Nicolas Church in Spalding, Lincolnshire, on July 17, 2023, after being unaccounted for a week. Despite an inconclusive post-mortem, her ex-partner Paul Neilson, 30, faced charges related to her death but was ultimately convicted for assaulting Colette and impeding the discovery of her body, resulting in a sentence of four years and eight months in January 2024.
Neilson misled others about Colette’s whereabouts, falsely claiming she had returned to Scotland, while knowing she had perished in the tent. Colette’s mother, Patricia, expressed outrage over Neilson’s early prison release, sighting him in Kilmarnock, near their residence. Despite Patricia’s objections, authorities advised that Neilson was following parole conditions and could legally visit Ayrshire. Patricia lamented the lenient sentencing and Neilson’s name change to Paul Moxley on social media, emphasizing the pain of losing her daughter and the ongoing trauma within the family.
Regarding Neilson’s history of abuse towards Colette, Patricia had reported multiple incidents of violence to the police. The last time she saw her daughter was three months before the tragic discovery. Detective Inspector Adrian Czajkowski of Lincolnshire Police, who led the investigation, highlighted Neilson’s pattern of assault and manipulation, crediting community cooperation for shedding light on the case. Czajkowski acknowledged the community’s role in seeking justice for Colette and her family, expressing hope that they can now find peace amidst the tragedy.