This article references domestic abuse and graphic descriptions of gender-based violence.
The mothers of three women who were murdered in domestic violence attacks will appear on ITV1's Tonight: Murdered at Home to call for an urgent review of the sentencing guidelines for men who kill their partners.
Elaine Newborough, Julie Devey and Carole Gould speak to ITV's Julie Etchingham about their young daughters – Megan, Poppy and Ellie – who were brutally murdered in their homes by current or former partners.
Megan Newborough, 23, was strangled by her partner, Ross McCullam, 30, in 2021 after he invited her over to his house. He cut her throat and left her body in a country lane in Leicestershire. McCullam received a life sentence with a minimum of 23 years.
Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, was killed in her home, which she shared with 25-year-old Joe Atkinson, in 2018. Atkinson stabbed her repeatedly in the head, cut her throat, and initially claimed he killed her in self-defence before eventually pleading guilty to her murder. He received a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years and 310 days.
Ellie Gould was 17 when she was stabbed to death with a kitchen knife by Thomas Griffiths, then 17. He will serve at least 12-and-a-half years in prison, his age an important factor in the sentencing decision.
Had these men stabbed a stranger in the street to death, the starting point for their sentences would've been 25 years minimum. But because their victims were women, they were or had previously been in relationships (and the murders took place in the home), the sentencing started at 15 years. None of them were sentenced to a minimum of 25 years.
As Poppy's mum, Julie Devey, says: "It's insulting to say 'well you were in the house, you were in the flat, you knew the person who murdered you; therefore your life is worth 10 years less'.
“That is the message that is going out to the public. We want that 10-year gap completely eradicated.”
Gender-based violence is not inevitable.
Alongside campaigners for Killed Women, Elaine Newborough, Julie Devey, and Carole Gould are calling for the minimum tariff for domestic homicide to be raised from 15 years to 25. After facing substantial pressure from activists, the government commissioned a review of domestic homicide by leading barrister Clare Wade KC, who did not recommend raising the tariff.
As Julie Etchingham reports, it's a complex issue. For example, if an abused woman with potentially diminished responsibility kills her husband in their home, she would be subject to the same harsher sentencing. However, as the chair of Refuge, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, notes, this could surely be legislated against.
The Ministry of Justice is currently consulting on whether the minimum sentencing tariff should be raised.
A spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the families of all those murdered in horrendous circumstances by partners or ex-partners.
“The government has taken decisive action to ensure domestic killers are locked up for longer. We’re making a killing at the end of a relationship, using excessive violence and coercive or controlling behaviour, statutory aggravating factors for murder and for manslaughter involving sexual conduct.
“This is a complex area of the law and changes must be carefully considered. This is why we are consulting on sentencing starting points."
Our thoughts remain with Megan, Poppy, and Ellie's families and friends.
Murdered at Home airs tonight (22nd February) at 8.30 pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
For more information about emotional abuse and domestic abuse, you can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
