Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) welcomes the decision to grant a posthumous conditional pardon to Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed by the British state just over 70 years ago. We pay tribute to her grandchildren who have fought for this important outcome on her behalf. In making this announcement, the government has accepted that Ruth Ellis’ actions were “profoundly shaped” by the abuse and trauma she experienced, and argue that if the trial had occurred under modern law, she could have put forward partial defences of loss of control or diminished responsibility and benefited from an ‘improved understanding’ of the impact of domestic abuse, including coercive control.
Sadly, under the current law it is very possible that Ruth Ellis would still have been convicted of murder. CWJ is working with more than 30 women who are victims of domestic abuse who have killed their abuser and been convicted of murder in circumstances very similar to hers. Evidence of domestic abuse and coercive control is still not well understood or properly applied by the courts in these cases. The only difference between then and now is that we don't have the death penalty.
Evidence relating to the defence of loss of control is that it is almost completely unavailable for victims of domestic abuse who kill their abuser, and requires urgent reform. Likewise very few women in such circumstances can access self defence as our research shows. The Law Commission are currently undertaking a consultation on reforms to the Homicide Laws, which includes looking at much needed reforms to ensure there are effective defences to murder for victims of domestic abuse who kill their abuser.
ENDS