Not guilty of murder because of lockdown ???

[justasking111]

A retired man throttled his wife because of covid stress, and lockdown, well hey that is allright then. Words fail me.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56071168

He’s 70 and admitted to man slaughter

Won’t make much difference as hell see his days out in prison.

That's not exactly what that says though is it

No one says it is alright.

It was only about a week in to the first lockdown so that seems a weak excuse. After almost a year of restrictions it's easy to see how things can take a toll on relationships (not to the extent that murder is justified of course) but after only a week I don't see how that can be mitigating circumstances.

I don't like the sound of it either but there's a technical difference between murder and manslaughter. I'm not a legal expert, but it's to do with intent to kill. It is manslaughter essentially if you acted without planning to kill someone. It doesn't mean it's ok.

Words fail you that we have such a thing as manslaughter?

"It was only about a week in to the first lockdown so that seems a weak excuse"

Really? That week was pretty terrifying for most people. It was hard to put things in perspective at the time.

A manslaughter conviction isn't so surprising here.

He had diminished responsibility basically been suffering with mental health issues before lockdown began his daughter was worried about his spiralling mental health and I guess covid 19 was the tipping point x

Manslaughter seems the appropriate charge to me, as it was apparently not premeditated.

And no one said it was alright, did they?

@LastTrainEast

I don't like the sound of it either but there's a technical difference between murder and manslaughter. I'm not a legal expert, but it's to do with intent to kill. It is manslaughter essentially if you acted without planning to kill someone. It doesn't mean it's ok.

You can be charged with murder if you intend to kill or to cause serious injury. It can be on the spur of the moment, no pre-planning is required in the UK.

But even though this man clearly did intend to kill, and would normally be found guilty of murder, he pleaded the specific defence of diminished responsibility - too mentally unstable at the time of the offence to be held fully accountable for his actions and given an automatic life sentence for murder but not too insane to convict of anything. It does sound as if he was very unwell - but of course that doesn’t make up for that poor woman’s death..

Broken bones in her neck, it started upstairs and carried on downstairs, she tried to leave the house... Absolutely heartbreaking.

I can't get in to murder Vs manslaughter as it's all legal technicalities. I hope the sentencing reflects that fact that Ruth was alive, and is now dead, because of him.

As usual the reporting focuses on him and his difficulties with barely a mention of Ruth as a person, rather than victim.

Rest in peace, Ruth.

5 years! He got 5 years. Words fail me.

I've sent an email to the Attorney General's office (as have lots of others I imagine) asking for the sentence to be reviewed as it is far too lenient.