Contents About the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review Domestic
Homicide Sentencing Review Government response to the Domestic
Homicide Sentencing Review Written Ministerial Statement regarding
the full government response to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing
Review Written Ministerial Statement regarding the interim response
to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review Initial Case
Review...Request free trial
The government commissioned an independent expert, Clare Wade KC,
to review sentencing in domestic homicide cases to establish
whether current law and sentencing guidelines are fit for purpose
and identify options for reform.
The Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review was published in March
2023 alongside an interim response. The full government response
was published in July 2023, announcing a package of proposed
reforms to change the law so that sentencing reflects the
seriousness of domestic homicides.
Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review
The government published the independent Domestic Homicide
Sentencing Review undertaken by Clare Wade KC on 17 March 2023.
Government response to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing
Review
The government published its full response to the independent
Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review undertaken by Clare Wade KC
on 20 July 2023. The package of measures in the full response
include:
Legislative changes to give domestic murders specialist
consideration in the sentencing framework for murder:
A history of controlling or coercive behaviour by the
perpetrator against the victim will be made a statutory
aggravating factor for murder.
A history of controlling or coercive behaviour by the
victim against the perpetrator will be made a statutory
mitigating factor for murder.
Violence which amounts to overkill will be made a
statutory aggravating factor for murder.
Murders which take place at the end of the relationship
or when the victim has expressed a desire to leave the
relationship will be made a statutory aggravating factor for
murder.
The Lord Chancellor will write to the Sentencing Council for
England and Wales, proposing that they revise their guidelines in
light of both the Review and the Government’s response to its
recommendations.
The Law Commission will be invited to undertake a review of
the use of defences in domestic homicide cases
The new Domestic Homicide Library launched by the Home Office
will enable greater analysis of patterns, trends, and risk
factors.
The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to work with
partners and improve mandatory training on understanding
controlling and coercive behaviour.
A public consultation will be launched later this year
seeking views on whether there should be a starting point of 25
years for cases of murder preceded by controlling or coercive
behaviour. This consultation will also further explore the
sentencing starting point for murders committed with a knife or
other weapon which was already at the scene.
Written Ministerial Statement regarding the full
government response to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing
Review
The Lord Chancellor made a written statement to Parliament
alongside publication of the full government response to the
Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review on 20 July 2023. The
statement announced the publication of the full government
response to the Review and a package of proposed reforms the
government will take forward so that sentencing reflects the
seriousness of domestic homicides.
The initial Case Review looked in detail at a sample of domestic
homicide cases and was used to inform Clare Wade KC’s Domestic
Homicide Sentencing Review.
