HELPING HAND
London Bridge hero who tackled terrorist revealed as convicted murderer on day release
A CONVICTED murderer out on day release was part of a group of brave men who took on the London Bridge terrorist, according to reports.
James Ford, 42, is said to have tried to save a woman's life after she was knifed by Usman Khan during a rampage that left two people dead.
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He was
Ford was given a minimum 15-year sentence after killing Amanda Champion, 21, who had the mental age of a 15-year-old,.
She was strangled and had her throat cut in Ashford, Kent the year before.
The murder was only uncovered when a Samaritans worker broke the charity's confidentiality policy.
Ford, a factory worker and amateur wrestler, is said to have called the Samaritans and confessed: "I've killed a girl", ringing the charity's helpline 45 times over the next month.
The Samaritans worker told the cops after leaving the job.
TERROR ATTACK HORROR
Dramatic high definition video shows brave bystanders tackling a man in a fake suicide vest moments after two innocent people died in Friday's stabbing rampage.
The terrifying clip then shows armed cops surrounding the suspect and shooting him dead as terror struck in the heart of the capital.
Khan, 28, had been a guest at a Fishmongers' Hall prisoner rehabilitation event when he launched his knife rampage.
Police said Khan, who lived in the Staffordshire area, was known to authorities after he was convicted in 2012 for terrorism offences.
He was released from prison in December 2018 on licence.
Three people remained in hospital after 12 were injured.
CONVICTED MURDERER
Amanda's family are said to have tried to stop Ford being released on parole and only found out he was free when police called them on Friday.
The Daily Mail reports that Whitehall sources confirmed Ford had been on London Bridge yesterday.
Amanda's aunt Angela Cox, 65, told paper: "He is not a hero. He is a murderer out on day release, which us as a family didn't know anything about.
"He murdered a disabled girl. He is not a hero, absolutely not.
"The police liaison officer called me saying he was on the TV. I am so angry. They let him out without even telling us.
He is not a hero. He is a murderer out on day release, which us as a family didn't know anything about
Angela Cox, Amanda Champion's aunt
"Any of my family could have been in London and just bumped into him.
"It was a hell of a shock. It is a horrible thing. She said, Have you heard about the incident in London today?' and I hadn't.
"She said, " Put it on now and you will see James Ford on the telly'.
"She said, "Don't worry, it is not him that's done anything, he's there and he is being classed as a hero'.
"For him to be called a hero - he is not, he is a cold-blooded murderer. For no reason whatsoever, he just went out and murdered a disabled person.
'HE IS SCUM'
"I don't care what he's done today, he's a murderer. He is scum. Amanda was my niece and she was vulnerable and he took her life.
"He knew what he was doing. People don't change."
The judge who sentenced Ford said at the time: "What you did was an act of wickedness.
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"You clearly have an interest in the macabre and also an obsession with death including murder by throat cutting.
";Amanda happened to be walking through that area of woodland at the wrong time.
"You grabbed hold of her, strangled her and cut her throat, causing her to suffer a terrible and lonely death."
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