******TRIGGER WARNING Powerful message from a midwife (re. the murder of Natalie Connolly) TRIGGER WARNING ******

*@blancheM*unbelievable how anyone could think she was to blame. Her injuries sound horrific.

Thank you @arranbubonicplague I've written to the AG.

FFS

You could be on to something snow but then again, the thread about this on aibu has some posters arguing that the charge was correct, being drunk was the cause of death and that she was 'into' the violence which was inflicted on her.

Why is this in ‘feminist chat’ please? I realise the OP has placed it here but it’s a human rights issue not purely feminist. Could it be moved? AIBU would get mire traffic and hopefully justice for Natalie.

Abhorrent. Have sent email to both addresses provided and signed the petition. Albeit, I’ve no idea if those change.org petitions have any clout. I’ll also write to my MP although not too sure what he will do.

Bowl I guess it's not impossible that it was sustained in a fall. Just far more likely, especially in someone who had been savagely beaten, that it wasn't due to a fall.

The extent of the bruising, as described in the judge's comments, also sounded horrific.

And hadn't she been texting an ex? He deliberately beat her and sexually assaulted her in a rage imo. This was not consensual "rough sex".

It’s a gross failure yet again of the justice (sic) system where a woman is the victim - really the justice(sic) system is not fit for purpose for crimes against women and children when judges and jurors are not psychologically tested - so many have traits of misogyny and rape myths that remain fixed despite any evidence presented.

Manslaughter can carry a life sentence.

would be the maximum sentence that could have been given for the charge against him,

Life.

bore I just can’t get my head round how this wasn’t pointed out in court or if it was it was done so poorly that the judge was left with that opinion. What were the prosecution thinking? The nature of the injuries described is s key part of the case. It beggars belief.

God this is horrific. How is this sentence and judging comment possible in 2018?

Have sent my email. Never emailed for anything like this before.

Just signed it, gluteus

Really? Drunkenly, accidentally whack yourself in the face with your watch and give yourself a blow out orbit fracture? I don't think so m'lord.

I agree Iused2B

Only ever seen this type of # caused by
i) fist to the eye
ii) sporting inju when hit in directly the eye, e.g. by a ball
iii) major facial trauma, e.g. road accident when no seat belt and face hits windscreen/dashboard

Fist to the eye being by far the most common, in my experience.

I can’t stop thinking about this.

Found this petition. Not sure if there are others. Not many people signed so far. Can’t we get this up higher?

www.change.org/p/attorney-general-her-name-was-natalie-connolly

deepwater it's covered in the sentencing remarks. The drugs were an aggravating factor which would have increased the sentence, but that was cancelled out by the fact he pleaded guilty.

What did the prosecution say when cross examining him?

In the absence of a transcript, we don't know.

I don't even know if Broadhurst was examined (the plea was accepted after the Prosecution made its case and the judge then intervened about the charges).

139 women have been killed by men in this last year. We should all be shocked and angered by this figure. The police and criminal justice system still don’t take this seriously. Will they ever...?

I can’t get my head around this. What did the prosecution say when cross examining him? What would be the maximum sentence that could have been given for the charge against him,

A terrible injustice.

I have sent an email. I am sickened by this case.

I have sent my email. Detailing among other things the utter lunacy of believing that serious injuries can be caused in such way.
Like the case a while back where ‘he slipped with a knife.’ At risk of sounding TMI I have worked with carcasses and it takes considerable force to inflict such injuries.

For the judge to accept such a defence I can only think that they did not have someone in court to point out that it is physically impossible to give yourself such injuries with a watch. If that’s the case, why wasn’t this raised? It’s horrifying. The extent and severity of the injuries indicate ONLY a sustained and brutal assault.

These women are being let down in death. Their killers are using defences that simply shouldnt be allowed. I am so angry.

Also, I know it's beside the point, but shouldn't he have been prosecuted for drugs offences as well as the more obvious matter of killing Natalie?

I bet this was a mitigating factor - didn't fully comprehend what he did, drugs blurring the mind and all...

Also, I know it's beside the point, but shouldn't he have been prosecuted for drugs offences as well as the more obvious matter of killing Natalie?

I am sure that Natalie’s motivation arose from the fact that she derived sexual satisfaction by being beaten quite hard. I am also sure that on occasion this could cause Natalie to become bruised. There was photograph in evidence sent by Natalie to her mother showing a bruise that she said you had caused during sex. Stephen Lambert described seeing what he called ‘angry’ bruises on her about a week before she died.

Could it be that Natalie sent the picture of the bruise too her mother as a cry for help? Would she really have sent her mother a picture of bruises by way of a boast and chatting about her sexual predilections?

I also accept that some of the injuries Natalie suffered, including the bruising to her head and the blow out fracture to her left orbit – which were probably her most serious injuries - may have been caused accidentally as she stumbled around in a heavily intoxicated state and collided with objects or caught herself in the face with her watch.

Really? Drunkenly, accidentally whack yourself in the face with your watch and give yourself a blow out orbit fracture? I don't think so m'lord.

My letter went in the post yesterday. God, I hope something positive comes out of this in memory of Natalie and to restore some justice for her family who have so far received none. What really got to me about this case- not the misogyny, the biased trial, the legal discrepancies, the disgusting reporting in the media- I can easily, sadly accept that- is that this poor woman, a daughter, mother, sister, friend, had no dignity in death, no dignity after death and no dignity during court process. I see the charge, summary and sentencing as a violation. What has happened to Natalie has been okayed by the criminal justice system and until the case is referred to the highest court in the land, or if it doesn't, I will regard it as state sanctioned hate crime against women. It's 2018. In the U.K. What the fuck!

Charlie50
Exactly this.