A 21-year-old man will appear in court today charged with the murder of PCSO Julia James.

Callum Wheeler, from Aylesham, is accused of killing the 53-year-old mum-of-two, who was found dead on a remote track in Snowdown, between Canterbury and Dover, on Tuesday, April 28. He will appear before Medway magistrates via video link.

A post-mortem investigation revealed Julia suffered "significant head injuries", sparking a widespread hunt for her killer.

Wheeler was arrested at 9.30pm on Friday night and questioned over the weekend.

He was charged yesterday with the murder of Julia, who worked with the domestic violence unit at Canterbury police station.

He will appear via video link at Medway Magistrates Court today, where he will likely be remanded in custody until a later date.

The charge came almost two weeks into a painstaking investigation which has seen Snowdown become a hive of police activity.

Officers have been scouring the area in and around where Julia's body was found by members of the public on the edge of Ackholt Wood.

She had been working from home that day before taking her Jack Russell, Toby, for a walk.

The dog was by her side, unharmed, when she was discovered dead at about 4pm.

Police taped off the scene and have since set up a number of other cordons around the quiet hamlet, which only has about 50 homes.

There is still a large police presence in the area, with a number of tents erected to preserve evidence.

Officers also remain in Sunshine Corner Avenue, where a property has been cordoned off since Friday night.

Forensics teams were seen this morning removing bags from the house.

Julia lived about a mile away, in The Crescent, Snowdown. She was a much-loved mum, wife and grandmother.

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards, from Kent Police, said: “We continue to urge anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to contact us.

“If you were in the Snowdown area between 1pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday, April 27, please contact us."

Anyone with information about Julia's death is urged to call police on 0800 0514526.

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