THE family of cannibal killer David Harker's dismembered victim have branded a television documentary about the psychopath "disgraceful".

Harker was given a life sentence by Teesside Crown Court last year, after admitting the manslaughter and bodily mutilation of Darlington mother-of-four Julie Paterson, in April 1998.

Parts of her body have never been found despite widespread police searches in the region.

A one-hour documentary on the killing, called The British Cannibal, has been filmed for Channel 5 by September Films.

The company was responsible for a similar programme on the James Bulger killing, screened earlier this year, and will be shown at 10.50pm on Tuesday, December 12.

Julie's father and other family members have refused to take part in the programme.

Her father, James Paterson, said: "We don't want anything to do with it. I'm against it altogether. They have no thoughts for other people at all.

"Julie has a family and I think it's just disgraceful."

He said Julie's eldest daughter is old enough for such a programme to have a detrimental effect on her life.

"Sarah is 14 now, and when she goes to school people are bound to pick her out," he said.

"I just want it stopped," said Mr Paterson, revealing he had sought legal advice in an effort to halt the programme.

"It's bringing too much back. I won't be watching it. They just don't realise what they are doing.

"It has to happen to you before you realise what it is like."

Durham solicitor David Gatherer, who was consulted by Mr Paterson, said there were no grounds on which he felt an injunction against the broadcast would have been likely to succeed, as most of the detail was already in the public domain.

Detectives at Durham Constabulary took part in the documentary after watching the James Bulger programme, which they decided had been sensitively handled.

Superintendent Dave Jones, who was second in charge of the investigation, said: "Before deciding whether to take part, we spoke at length to Julie's family to find out what their feelings were. They saw no reason for the police not to be involved, and, as a result, we agreed to help September Films."

A Channel 5 spokeswoman said: "This is a sensitive case, but it is a well-documented and published case. We believe it is a legitimate subject for a documentary."

She said the late screening time should avoid young people watching