'Don't ask me why, because I don’t know' - Daughter of Christopher Halliwell says the killer taxi driver couldn’t explain why he murdered Sian O’Callaghan

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

The daughter of a taxi driver jailed for life over the murder of Sian O'Callaghan has said her father told her he didn’t know why he killed the teenager.

Natasha Halliwell also begged her father to “do the right thing” and “tell the truth” in order to give justice to the family of missing prostitute Rebecca Godden who he has also confessed to killing.

Speaking to ITV’s Daybreak programme this morning, the 20-year-old said “He needs to give the other family closure as well and give them the justice they need for their daughter.”

Asked whether her father ever explained to her what he did, Natasha said: “No, never. He said to me, because I saw him, he said, “Don’t ask me why because I don’t know why”. So I don’t think he even has an explanation.”

The 20-year-old was speaking after her father was jailed for life after pleading guilty to Miss O’Callaghan’s murder at Bristol Crown Court. He escaped justice over the murder of Miss Godden, however, after a police blunder led to the case being thrown out.

The 48-year-old admitted to a senior detective that he murdered Miss O’Callaghan and Miss Godden, and even led officers to their bodies.

But a High Court judge ruled that the confessions were inadmissible because Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher breached police guidelines governing the interviewing of suspects.

The detective, who was leading the hunt for Miss O’Callaghan, failed to caution Halliwell and denied him a solicitor.

The ruling by Mrs Justice Cox meant that Wiltshire Police had no other evidence against Halliwell to link him to Miss Godden’s murder and the charge was withdrawn.

Ms Halliwell said she has received letters from her father since his arrest, but has not replied. She said one letter said “sorry for putting you through all this”, while others urged her to change her name.

But despite hating his horrific crimes, Ms Halliwell says she cannot actually hate her father, who she pities and feels sorry for.

Meanwhile, the father of Rebecca Godden criticised police, accusing them of making “massive mistakes,” adding “It seems to me: Come to Swindon, commit murder and you’ll get away with it.'

Speaking to BBC News, John Godden went on: “And that’s the way I feel. I’ll never put my trust in the police again. Why should we pay with this pain for somebody else’s mistakes?...I want proper closure. I want closure. I want justice.”