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The United Kingdom justice secretary, Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood, announced that they will impose tougher jail sentences for ex-partners who kill or strangle their victims. This move is a component of the current crackdown on violence against women. The UK government has confirmed it will apply two new aggravating factors designated by law. These new measures indicate that judges must consider stronger sentences for murders that involve strangulation or where the killing is associated with the end of a relationship. The new measures for England and Wales will be applicable from next year. However, some campaigners claimed that the new rules “fail to go far enough.”
The legislation responds to issues raised by campaigners, such as considering diminished responsibility in trials and whether the current laws on homicide correctly reflect the seriousness of domestic murders. The Law Commission, which reviews current laws and recommends reforms, has requested to examine the overall sentencing framework and laws on murder and homicide. The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) noted that around 85 people, primarily women, are killed yearly by their present or former partner, mostly within their dwelling place. Clare Wade, a barrister appointed to examine various murder cases, reported that 30% of cases involve strangulation, and 40% occur at the end, or at a perceived ending, of a relationship. Every case involving a female victim and a male killer.
The minister for violence against women and girls, Alex Davies-Jones, praised activist groups such as the Joanna Simpson Foundation, Killed Women, and the families of victims of the Nottingham attacks. Joanna Simpson Foundation backs children seeking assistance after suffering domestic abuse and homicide. Joel Brown killed Joanna Simpson in 2010 at their home, within earshot of their kids. The former British Airways captain buried her body in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park. Brown was found not guilty of murder after a jury heard the couple’s divorce strained him. He was due to be released in November 2023, after serving half of his 26-year jail sentence for manslaughter. The previous Tory government blocked his release.
Reacting to the UK government’s announcement, Diana Parkes and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, Joanna Simpson’s mother and best friend, respectively, praised the new sentencing measures but felt the Law Commission’s report was too narrow. The pair were honored by the UK government with CBEs in December. The two women urged the government to unite victims and human rights groups to analyze overall sentences and procedures, stating, “A failing and fragmented system cannot be bandaged. It needs cohesive and courageous re-imagining.” Minister Mahmood applauded the new sentencing changes, saying they are part of the plan to crackdown on violence against women and creating safe streets. Mahmood acknowledged that the issues related to homicide law, and the sentencing practices are quite complex, but the past piecemeal efforts have led to the current disparities, and a comprehensive review is necessary
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