Domestic Killers to Face Extra 10 Years in Prison Under New Plans
Domestic killers could face an additional 10 years in prison under new sentencing plans announced Tuesday by the Ministry of Justice. The changes would mean the 15-year starting sentence for domestic murder could be increased to 25 years, bringing it into line with other murder categories. The policy responds to long-running campaigning by domestic violence charities that argued the previous starting point understated the seriousness of intimate-partner killings. The change is one of the more significant criminal justice policy moves of the pre-Burnham transition period. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been pushing for the reform since taking office in 2024.
The previous 15-year starting sentence for domestic murder dates back to a 2003 Sentencing Council guideline that treated intimate-partner killings as a separate category. Domestic violence charities have campaigned for over a decade to bring the starting point into line with the 25-year starting sentence for other murder categories. The change will apply prospectively rather than retroactively. The Burnham team has signalled broad support for the reform and is unlikely to reverse it. Implementation depends on parliamentary time, which will be tight given the leadership transition window.