Lord chancellor David Lammy has announced plans to close a sentencing gap that saw people who murdered their partner or ex at home serve significantly less time in prison than other murderers. However, the gap will remain in cases where a domestic abuse victim killed their abuser.
In an announcement last night, the Ministry of Justice said that under current law, domestic murders have a 15-year starting point because they take place at home where the weapon is already likely to be at the scene. For murders where a weapon is taken to the scene with intent, the starting point is 25 years.
To protect victims, the ministry said the 15-year starting point will remain in cases where a domestic abuse victim killed their abuser. Lammy's department said the change was part of the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls, noting that more than a fifth of murders are domestic and women are overwhelmingly the victim.
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. I pay tribute to Carole Gould, Julie Devey and Elaine Newborough whose courageous campaign will help future mothers, daughters and wives get the justice they deserve.’
The change will be subject to consultation with the Sentencing Council but the ministry hopes to introduce the change 'as soon as possible'.
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