Domestic murderers will now face a minimum of 25 years in prison after the government closed a sentencing loophole that campaigners described as outdated and misogynistic. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy confirmed the overhaul on Tuesday, replacing laws that distinguished between homicides inside and outside the home.
Campaigners celebrate long-awaited change
Three bereaved mothers whose daughters were murdered by violent ex-partners welcomed the announcement. Carole Gould, Julie Devey, and Elaine Newborough, who founded the pressure group Killed Women, said the change finally means women's lives are valued as highly as men's. Under previous laws, most domestic murders had a 15-year sentencing starting point because they occurred in the home, whereas murders where a weapon was taken to the scene carried a minimum 25-year sentence.
Carole Gould's daughter Ellie was just 17 when she was murdered in 2019 by Thomas Griffiths at her home in Calne, Wiltshire, after she ended the relationship. Griffiths was sentenced to at least 12-and-a-half years due to his age. Julie Devey's daughter Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, was murdered in her Leeds flat by Joe Atkinson in 2018 after their three-year relationship ended. He was jailed for a minimum of 15 years and 310 days. Elaine Newborough's daughter Megan was strangled and had her throat cut by Ross McCullam at his Leicestershire home in 2023; he received a minimum term of 23 years.
Lammy: Law failed women for centuries
Mr Lammy said: “For centuries, the law failed to protect women from violence at the hands of their partner – whether from marital rape or from abuse behind closed doors. Whilst we’ve made significant progress, we need to continue righting these wrongs. This change closes a long overdue gap and will ensure those who murder their partner face sentences that better reflect the devastating harm they cause.”
In a joint statement, the three mothers said: “At last, women’s lives are being valued as highly as men’s. Since around 70% of victims of homicide in the home are women, it has long been unjust that those who murder them routinely receive substantially lighter sentences simply because the murder weapon, such as a kitchen knife, was already there, rather than brought to the scene. We have been campaigning relentlessly on this issue for seven years to persuade the state just how dangerous these men are. We have lost our daughters – Poppy, Ellie and Megan – to such men.”
Domestic abuse commissioner urges fairness
Domestic Abuse Commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs said: “For too long abusers who kill have not faced a punishment that reflects the full gravity of their crimes. This welcome change is a testament to all the bereaved families who have fought tirelessly to deliver justice for their loved ones. I’m also pleased to see the government include safeguards so victims who kill their perpetrators following prolonged abuse will not face longer sentences. I am however disappointed that this increase won’t apply when a victim is killed by a family member. It’s no less heinous a crime when a parent is killed by their child or someone is a victim of so-called ‘honour’ based abuse by a relative. I urge the government to ensure there is fairness in sentencing across all domestic homicides. Tackling the epidemic of domestic abuse and gender-based violence will not be achieved if we do things in half measures.”
In 2024, Killed Women launched a 'killed here' campaign, placing blue plaques at addresses where women were killed in their homes. The group said the new Labour government had upheld the Conservatives’ commitment to change the outdated and misogynistic UK domestic homicide sentencing laws.
