Murderers will be outlawed from using the ’50 Shades rough sex’ as a defence in court, minister says

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MURDERERS will soon be outlawed from using the “50 Shades rough sex” defence in court, a minister has confirmed.

The so-called “rough sex gone wrong” defence will finally be outlawed in new domestic abuse legislation later this year.

Murders will finally no longer be able to use the “rough sex” defence

Justice Minister Alex Chalk confirmed the news yesterday after extensive efforts from campaigners.

He told MPs: “It is unconscionable for defendants to suggest that the death of a woman is justified, excusable or legally defensible because that woman had engaged in violent and harmful sexual activity which resulted in her death, simply because she consented.

“The law of homicide is of labyrinthine complexity, so there is a need to ensure that any statutory provisions have the desired effect”.

It comes after an amendment was brought by prominent Labour backbencher Harriet Harman and Tory MP Mark Garnier.

Ms Harman first wrote to Attorney general about the issue in December 2018.

Speaking at the Commons’ Public Bill Committee, Jess Phillips insisted the law had to be changed.

She added: “The law should be clear to all – you cannot consent to serious injury or death, but the case law is not up to the task.”

The campaign group We Can’t Consent To This hailed the response as “a big step forward”.

They said: “We do not know what the Government’s proposals will be but the clues are that this will be good, strong, far reaching provision.

“We will obviously point out if it’s lacking in any way.”

 Harriet Harman wants an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill to ban the use of consent as a defence

Harriet Harman has been fighting to end the rough sex defence since 2018
 Natalie Connolly, 26, was killed by John Broadhurst who used the rough sex defence and was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder
Natalie Connolly, 26, was killed by John Broadhurst who used the rough sex defence and was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder
 Mum-of-two Charlotte Teeling, 33, was strangled to death by Richard Bailey during sex 'for his own satisfaction'
Mum-of-two Charlotte Teeling, 33, was strangled to death by Richard Bailey during sex ‘for his own satisfaction’

They say there have been at least 58 deaths of women in the UK in which the accused has insisted the victims consented to the violence that killed them.

The campaign group found 45 per cent of these cases led to a lesser charge, a lesser sentence or no action at all.

And it says that since 2000 the number of accused men using what has been nicknamed the 50 Shades of Grey defence has increased tenfold.

These victims include Natalie Connolly, whose multi-millionaire boyfriend John Broadhurst left her for dead after “rough sex”.

Broadhurst got three years and eight months after a manslaughter plea was accepted.

Natalie is among 60 UK women to have lost their lives at the hands of men who claimed their victims consented to violent sex.

The number of accused men using the ‘50 Shades’ defence – so-called after the hit S&M-themed franchise – has rocketed since 2000, campaigners say.

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