‘A businessman who fatally stabbed a support worker in a “savage and brutal attack” has been jailed for 10 years.’
BBC News, 29th June 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A pizza delivery driver who killed a man in a “grotesque” overreaction to a broken wing-mirror has been jailed for 14 years.’
BBC News, 23rd June 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘On 15 August 2010 Sally Challen beat her husband to death with a hammer, wrapped him in a curtain before washing the dishes and driving home. She was convicted of murder on 23 June 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment, but last year that conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. Before the retrial the Crown accepted a guilty plea to a lesser charge of Manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, and Mrs Challen was released, having already served her sentence. The Forfeiture rule prevented her inheriting her husband’s estate or taking their joint assets by succession, and in September 2019 she issued proceedings under the Forfeiture Act 1982 for relief.’
New Square Chambers, June 2020
Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk
‘In this recent case, described by the presiding judge HHJ Matthews as “extraordinary [with] a fatal combination of conditions and events”, relief from forfeiture was granted despite the applicant having pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a resulting sentence of over nine years of imprisonment.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 29th May 2020
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
‘Sally Challen’s case has become well known in recent years, as a miscarriage of justice that resulted in a woman spending years behind bars for an offence she did not commit. The facts were not in dispute. In August 2010 she had reconciled with Richard, her partner and husband of forty years, after previously leaving the matrimonial home and starting divorce proceedings. Over lunch, she beat him to death with a hammer. Subsequently dissuaded from committing suicide, she was convicted of his murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with the prosecution describing her as jealous and possessive, and the jury rejecting her defence of diminished responsibility. In 2019 the Court of Appeal allowed her appeal, quashed her conviction, and directed a re-trial to reconsider the defences of diminished responsibility and provocation, in the light of new expert evidence about the effect of coercive control in a relationship. Richard had behaved appallingly towards Slly during their relationship. Finally in September 2019 the Crown accepted the plea that Sally Challen had offered throughout, that of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Edis J sentenced her to 9 years and 4 months imprisonment, with the effect that she was immediately released.’
St John's Chambers, 28th May 2020
Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk
‘A woman who won an appeal over her conviction for murdering her controlling husband can inherit his estate, a judge has ruled.’
The Guardian, 27th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The claimant had a long history of mental health difficulties arising from her diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Following a period spent in hospital detention, the claimant received outpatient psychiatric treatment. During this time, her condition deteriorated and she stabbed her mother to death while experiencing a serious psychotic episode. She was charged with murder and pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. An independent investigation found that failings by the Trust in her care and treatment meant that a serious incident of some kind was foreseeable based on her behaviour in previous psychotic episodes. The Trust admitted liability to the effect that the claimant’s mother would not have been killed but for its breaches of duty in failing to respond adequately to the claimant’s deterioration in mental health.’
UKSC Blog, 11th May 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
‘Supermarket workers should be trained to identify and help domestic abuse victims during the pandemic through a code word system, MPs have been told.’
BBC News, 15th April 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘At least 16 suspected domestic abuse killings in the UK have been identified by campaigners since the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were imposed, far higher than the average rate for the time of year, it has emerged.’
The Guardian, 15th April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A mother of two died after her drunken boyfriend threw a mobile phone at her neck during a row, a court has heard.’
BBC News, 8th April 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘EP was a 21 year old who suffered a number of mental disorders, bulimia nervosa, unstable personality disorder, depression and features of dependence syndrome. He had supplied her with DNP over the internet. She had consumed a number of capsules of DNP and suffered a most distressing death as it destroyed her internal organs causing them to fail. There is no effective treatment for what she suffered.’
St Pauls Chambers, 20th March 2020
Source: www.stpaulschambers.com
‘Three men have been jailed over the death of a doorman who was stabbed outside a private party in Mayfair, central London.’
The Guardian, 27th March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Four men have been found guilty of the revenge killing of a shop worker who was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity.’
BBC News, 23rd March 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘No further action will be taken against a man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to the plane crash that killed footballer Emiliano Sala, police have said.’
Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘An online dealer has been convicted of killing a woman who took toxic tablets sold to her as slimming pills.’
BBC News, 9th March 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Two teenagers who “fist-bumped” each other after the apparently motiveless killing of a man have been sentenced.’
BBC News, 5th March 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Three men including a company director have been found guilty of killing a man in revenge for a burglary.’
BBC News, 3rd March 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The government is examining what can be done to stop the use of the “rough sex” defence in courts to escape justice, officials have said, as a long-awaited domestic abuse bill finally returns to parliament.’
The Guardian, 3rd March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Unknown T, until recently one of the brightest prospects in the UK drill scene, has been cleared of murdering a university student at New Year’s Eve party in London.’
The Guardian, 18th February 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
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