Domestic killers could face extra 10 years in prison under new plans

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Domestic killers could face extra 10 years in prison under new plans Image source, Ian Waldie/Getty ImagesByImogen JamesPublished7 minutes agoPeople who kill a partner or ex-partner at home with a knife or other weapon could face an extra 10 years in prison under plans to strengthen sentencing laws, in a bid to tackle violence against women. For murders where a weapon is taken to the scene with intent to kill, the starting point for sentencing is 25 years. But in most murders which take place in a home, the weapon - for example, a kitchen knife - is already present, meaning a lower 15-year starting point applies.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it intends to close the 10-year gap so domestic killers face higher sentences. More than a fifth of all murders are domestic, and women are overwhelmingly the victims in these cases. There is already a higher starting point of 30 years for murder using a firearm.

The Details

Deputy Prime Minister David 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.

"The law change is subject to consultation with the Sentencing Council and will be introduced "as soon as possible", the MoJ said. The news was welcomed by Carole Gould, Julie Devey and Elaine Newborough, whose daughters were killed at home by their former partners. Gould, Devey and Newborough, from charity Killed Women, have been campaigning for years for the minimum sentence for domestic murder to be increased.

In a joint statement, they said: "At last, women's lives are being valued as highly as men's. 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.

What Experts Say

"Over seven long years we have met with seven Lord Chancellors, each being sympathetic, but it is this Lord Chancellor, David Lammy MP, who has finally done the right thing. "What drove us was knowing, categorically, that the current sentencing guidelines are wrong. "The existing 15-year baseline sentence will still apply in cases where a victim of domestic abuse kills their abuser, which the department said was an "important safeguard to further protect victims".

Ellie Butt, head of Policy and Public Affairs at domestic abuse charity Refuge, said the change is "hugely welcome". She added: "This is both a crucial step towards improved justice for victims and a much-needed acknowledgement of how horrific a crime domestic homicide truly is.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.