'He's living, our daughter isn't': Mothers call for longer jail time for killings at home
Three mothers whose daughters were murdered by their partners in their homes are calling for a change in the law, as ITV News' Stacey Foster reports
Ellie Gould, Meghan Newborough and Poppy Devey Waterhouse were all violently murdered in their homes - now their mothers are spearheading a campaign to change the law because of it.
Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, was stabbed more than 20 times by her ex-boyfriend Joe Atkinson just days before they moved out of their flat. He was jailed for 15 years.
Ellie Gould, 17, from Calne in Wiltshire was murdered in her parents' kitchen by her ex-boyfriend Thomas Griffiths. He was jailed for a minimum of 12 and a half years.
Meghan Newborough, aged 23, was murdered by work colleague Ross McCullum at his parents' home after they has started a relationship. He was jailed for a minimum term of 23 years.
Her mother Elaine Newborough said: "He's living our daughter isn't we're missing out on so much."
She, plus mothers Julie Devey and Carole Gould think the prison time handed to their daughters' killers does not meet up to the crimes.
They are now calling for a minimum sentence for murders that happen in the home, in line with whole-life terms given to sexual or sadistic killings.
The mothers say a change is needed to send out the message that violence against women and girls will be treated with the "utmost seriousness".
All three killers were given a reduced sentence as the girls were murdered with weapons from within their homes.
For a murder that has happened at home, the starting point for sentencing is 15 years, but for those who are killed in the street it is 25 years.
The Ministry of Justice is working on changing the law so those who murder their partners at the end of a relationship face longer behind bars.
But under the new rules, the murderers still would not be sentenced to life in prison.
The mothers, who don't think the change does not goes far enough, have published an open letter to the government, calling for longer domestic homicide sentences.
It reads: "These men are also the most despicable criminals and just plain evil like the ones you want to serve a whole life order, yet they never qualify for even an uplift to a minimum of a 25-year prison sentence under current laws.
"We need social change in the form of robust sentencing for all murders and a strong message that violence against women and girls will be treated with the utmost seriousness."
Carole Gould, Ellie's mum, said: "Ellie was literally at home revising for her A-levels and he did that after a three-month relationship.
"He came into our lives, he came into her life and destroyed it.
"For the punishment to be just 12 and a half years, it's an absolute insult."
If you need support, the following services are available:
Women’s Aid’s directory contains details of local, regional and national services
National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247 – www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ (run by Refuge)
The Men’s Advice Line, for male domestic abuse survivors – 0808 801 0327 (run by Respect)
The Mix, free information and support for under 25s in the UK – 0808 808 4994
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0800 999 5428 (run by Galop)
Samaritans (24/7 service) – 116 123
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