David Blakely
Coverage of David Blakely in the Nexus archive.
- The last woman executed in Britain is given a conditional pardon
Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain in 1955, has been posthumously granted a conditional pardon, acknowledging the injustice of her execution for killing her abusive lover. The pardon replaces the death penalty with life imprisonment, recognizing that her case influenced a 1957 law allowing a diminished responsibility defense.
- The last woman executed in Britain is given a conditional pardon
Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain in 1955 for killing her abusive lover David Blakely, was granted a conditional pardon by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. The pardon replaces her death sentence with life imprisonment, acknowledging systemic injustice in her trial, where her abuse was not considered. Her grandchildren sought the pardon, citing evidence of battered woman syndrome that could have altered her conviction.
- Last woman hanged in the UK granted conditional pardon
Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in the UK in 1955 for killing her lover David Blakely, has been granted a conditional pardon. The article references a library photo of Ellis from April 19th 1955, prior to her execution in July 1955.