Milly Dowler's family speak of torment after revealing details of Levi Bellfield's abduction, rape, torture and murder
The family felt the public deserved to know the true extent of Bellfield's crimes
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Milly Dowler’s family have revealed horrific details of the teenager’s final hours to expose the “true heinousness” of her murderer.
Levi Bellfield was convicted in June 2011 but his confession to abducting, raping and killing Milly was not announced until last month.
Her relatives were told he attacked her at his flat before driving to his mother’s house and raping her “in broad daylight” in the driveway, before continuing hours of "torture" at another location and eventually strangling her to death.
The 13-year-old disappeared on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, on 21 March 2002.
Video: Levi Bellfield: serial killer
Her body was found six months later in woods near Hampshire but without Bellfield’s evidence, her final hours had remained a mystery.
Surrey Police only released limited details of his eventual confession on 27 January, which came as they investigated claims of an accomplice that have since been dismissed.
In a statement, Milly’s family said they did not feel police had reflected her killer’s “true heinousness”, adding: “We believe that they should know what Bellfield did to our beautiful daughter and sister Milly.“
Relatives said they were told Bellfield asked to speak to police about Milly in May 2015, demanding to speak with only female officers.
It was then that he provided a “harrowing account” of her final 14 hours and how he abducted, repeatedly raped, tortured and murdered her.
“Bellfield told the police that after abducting Milly and assaulting her at his flat a few yards from Walton Station, he then drove her to his mother's house,” the statement said.
“He reversed down a long driveway and then raped her in broad daylight over the boot of his car.
“Bellfield then moved her to another location, where the rape and torture continued for a number of hours, until the next day when he finally strangled her to death.”
Milly’s family said they were only told the information because Bellfield had already bragged about his crimes to fellow prison inmates, who may have made details public on release without their knowledge.
"There are no words to describe the additional torment and pain we have been going through since we were told this information,” the statement said.
"We had to remain silent for eight months whilst the police conducted their investigation.
"The pressure this has put us under as a family has been unimaginable and has taken its toll on all of us. We have had to fight every step of the way to get this far.”
Relatives met with Theresa May last year after expressing concerns over the police investigation.
“Now we know the final hours of Milly's life, perhaps her soul, at long last, can finally rest in peace,” the Dowlers said.
“The general public have always played a huge part in supporting us, for which we are eternally grateful and thankful.”
Bellfield, who know calls himself Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole-life sentence for her murder and had already been convicted of killing Amelie Delagrange, 22, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18.
The 47-year-old is suspected of numerous other crimes still under investigation and police previously said they believed he may have been responsible for up to 20 unsolved attacks on women.