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| MP Harriet Harman warns against '50 Shades' murder defence | MP Harriet Harman warns against '50 Shades' murder defence |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour's former minister for women has called for a review of a killer's sentence - jailed for his girlfriend's manslaughter rather than her murder. | Labour's former minister for women has called for a review of a killer's sentence - jailed for his girlfriend's manslaughter rather than her murder. |
| Multi-millionaire John Broadhurst was jailed for less than four years for killing Natalie Connolly after engaging in "rough sex" at their home in Kinver. | Multi-millionaire John Broadhurst was jailed for less than four years for killing Natalie Connolly after engaging in "rough sex" at their home in Kinver. |
| Labour MP Harriet Harman called it the "50 Shades of Grey defence", whereby men claim women asked for violence. | Labour MP Harriet Harman called it the "50 Shades of Grey defence", whereby men claim women asked for violence. |
| "We cannot have a situation where men kill women and blame them," she said. | "We cannot have a situation where men kill women and blame them," she said. |
| "No man will ever be accused of murder again if he can always say, 'yes she's injured, she wanted it'," the MP for Camberwell and Peckham told BBC Woman's Hour. | "No man will ever be accused of murder again if he can always say, 'yes she's injured, she wanted it'," the MP for Camberwell and Peckham told BBC Woman's Hour. |
| "She will never be able to say, 'no I didn't' because he's killed her and therefore she hasn't got a voice." | "She will never be able to say, 'no I didn't' because he's killed her and therefore she hasn't got a voice." |
| Ms Harman has written to the attorney general to look at whether the sentencing was too "lenient". | Ms Harman has written to the attorney general to look at whether the sentencing was too "lenient". |
| The attorney general said he was already looking at the case after a submission by a member of the public and he has 28 days to decide whether to send the case to the Court of Appeal. | |
| Broadhurst, who was initially charged with murder, claimed the 26-year-old mother-of-one was injured as a result of consensual sexual activity fuelled by alcohol and drugs. | Broadhurst, who was initially charged with murder, claimed the 26-year-old mother-of-one was injured as a result of consensual sexual activity fuelled by alcohol and drugs. |
| The CPS changed the charge to manslaughter during the trial when there ceased to be a "realistic prospect of conviction". | |
| Ms Harman said the defence was "ominous" as the offender "cannot be contradicted when he says she [the victim] wanted it". | Ms Harman said the defence was "ominous" as the offender "cannot be contradicted when he says she [the victim] wanted it". |
| The MP was criticised by barristers on social media including author 'The Secret Barrister' who suggested she "obtain the full facts" before forming an opinion on the sentence. | The MP was criticised by barristers on social media including author 'The Secret Barrister' who suggested she "obtain the full facts" before forming an opinion on the sentence. |
| Ms Harman admitted she had not been in court, but said she had spoken to Ms Connolly's family and read reports of the case. | Ms Harman admitted she had not been in court, but said she had spoken to Ms Connolly's family and read reports of the case. |
| Ms Connolly's family described Broadhurst as "callous", "disrespectful", and "heartless". | |
| "He has never publicly apologised or shown any remorse for the cruel way in which he left my daughter." | |
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