Domestic violence campaigner slams sentencing ‘disparity’ and says male on female violence ‘not taken as seriously’
11 April 2024, 13:28
A domestic violence campaigner who has called for tougher sentences for those who kill their partners has slammed the length of prison sentences handed out in two recent high-profile murder cases.
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Carole Gould told LBC that male on male violence is being “taken more seriously” than male on female violence - after the killers of Holly Bramley, who was dismembered by her husband, and footballer Cody Fisher who was stabbed to death on a night out were sentenced.
Holly was stabbed multiple times at home by her husband Nicholas Metson who then dismembered her body into more than 200 pieces, which were dumped in a river. On Monday, Metson was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years and 316 days.
Cody Fisher was stabbed to death on a nightclub dancefloor after being attacked by a masked group. On Monday, his killers Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter were sentenced to a minimum of 26 and 25 years respectively.
Ms Gould, who slammed the sentencing "disparity", has been campaigning on the issue since her own daughter was killed by her ex-boyfriend.
Ms Gould said currently those who kill their victims with a knife in the home face a 15-year sentencing starting point whilst sentences for those outside the home face at least 25.
She said as women typically tend to be victims of domestic violence, the sentencing gap “devalues women’s lives”.
“You put domestic at the front and it diminishes it,” she said.
We are basically telling men “murder them at home and you’ll get a lesser sentence”, she said.
Ms Gould has been campaigning on the issue after her daughter, Ellie Gould, 17, was killed at home by her ex-boyfriend Thomas Griffiths after she ended their relationship.
Griffiths was jailed for a minimum term of 12 and-a-half years.
Ms Gould said the recent murder of Kulsuma Akter in Bradford is another “heartbreaking example” of violence against women “not being taken as seriously”.
Court documents show the suspect, Habibur Masum, was charged with assaulting Ms Akter and threatening to kill her in November 2023. He was bailed by magistrates the same month.
She said it “beggars belief they let him out”.
He is now charged with murder.
Ms Gould also made the comparison of the treatment of terrorists - adding that terrorists who made threats to kill would never be given bail or released.
Ms Gould co-founded the charity, Killed Women, with another grieivng mum Julie Devey back in 2022. Along with Elaine Newborough, they have been raising awareness and campaigning on the issue for more than four years.
The charity said they have been in contact with the Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk and have campaigned to make sentences tougher for domestic homicide cases.
Ms Gould added the government has previously acknowledged the disparity between the different types of sentencing - with the typical gap being roughly ten years.
Ms Gould said the contrast in the recent sentencing of the killers of Holly Bramley and Cody Fisher is an example of that “disparity”.
She also called for more refuges and shelters so women who want to leave abusive or dangerous relationships have a safe place to go.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We have already taken decisive action to ensure domestic killers are locked up for longer – introducing new statutory aggravating factors for overkill, killing at the end of a relationship, and controlling or coercive behaviour.
"We are also currently analysing responses to our consultation on starting points for murders committed with a weapon already at the scene.”
