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

[WTFIsAGleepglorp]

Relax, it's not a trans thread.

It's about the horrific murder of Natalie Connolly.

twitter.com/ThatMidwife/status/1075808892477693952?s=19

Who's writing to the Attorney General?

I've just seen an article on the local news about this, interviewing her devastated family. The defence barrister was also on, poo-poohing the idea that this was a '50 shades' defence, and still minimising the whole thing. I'm ill anyway today, but I actually felt nauseated hearing it.

Email sent.
I found it quite difficult to put into words how sick this sentence is.
I just don't understand how a man is shown any leniency for brutalising an unconscious woman. She did not consent to die. She was at her most vulnerable but it counts for nothing that she couldn't defend herself. He murdered her in the most horrific and intimate way possible.
I'll join you in lighting a candle for Natalie Brienne, and I'll be thinking of all the other women who lost their lives this year too.
And I'll be thinking of all of you too. Thanks for being such amazing women.

@Threewheeler1 - it is so hard to put into words how awful everything about this case is; from the way Natalie was murdered, to the outrageous sentencing and excuses made for the bastard that killed her. It's absolutely devastating.

I'm finding myself feel incredibly angry about this.

Women are murdered by partners with appalling frequency and I find it incredibly frustrating and sad that better protection is not made available and that so many cases go relatively "unnoticed" by the press.

That sad there's something so very, very insidious about this case.

The seeming willingness and collusion to end up with a sentence that's equatable with someone inflicting just one of her many injuries leaves me in a rage.

The decision not to prosecute for murder was reprehensible. The Judge's steering of the case was reprehensible. The victim blaming was reprehensible.

The fact her family could not read their statements leaves me furious.

She's a woman whose been silenced by drugs/booze, assault and death then abused further by having her reputation torn to shreds and her family banned from speaking on her behalf.

I honestly don't think I've ever felt so angry about a case before.

Isn't there something profundly disturbing about his choice of carpet cleaner and bleach - like she was somehow dirty?

Charlie50
Exactly this.

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!

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.

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?

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...

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.

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

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.

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...?

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).

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.

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

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.

Just signed it, gluteus

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.

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.

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

Life.

Manslaughter can carry a life sentence.

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.