Domestic partner murderers to face extra 10 years under sentencing reform

The UK government is consulting on raising the sentencing starting point for domestic partner murders by 10 years. Over two women are killed each week by a partner or ex-partner in England and Wales.

Sentencing gap for domestic murders to be closed by Ministry of Justice

The Independent reports that murderers who kill a partner or ex-partner at home could face an additional 10 years in prison, as the government moves to close a significant gap in sentencing guidelines.

Under current rules, most domestic murders — which typically occur at home, often using a weapon already present — carry a 15-year starting point. Murders where a weapon is deliberately brought to the scene with intent to kill attract a 25-year minimum sentence. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is now consulting with the Sentencing Council to bridge that 10-year difference.

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."

More than a fifth of all murders in England and Wales are domestic, and women are overwhelmingly the victims, according to the MoJ. A 2022 study found that women were killed by men in over a quarter of all murder cases in England and Wales in recent years. Research by the House of Commons library found women were the victims while men were the primary suspect in 28 per cent of all murder cases in the five years prior to the study.

The report recorded 2,350 homicides between April 2016 and March 2021, of which 668 involved women murdered by men. Between two and three women are killed each week by a current or former partner.

One in four women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives. Domestic abuse also has a higher rate of repeat victimisation than any other crime, according to the MoJ.

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Support is available via the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or through the Refuge website. A dedicated men's advice line operates on 0808 8010 327.

Source: The Independent