Woman's murder conviction overturned after killing abusive husband
A woman who has spent eight years in jail for killing her husband has had her murder conviction quashed in a stunning legal victory.
Appeal judges in the UK accepted she was suffering mental disorders after decades of psychological abuse.
For 31 years, Sally Challen was controlled and abused by the man she married.
In 2010, she killed her husband, Richard, with a hammer.
She was convicted of murder and her sons say the decades of abuse was ignored by the courts.
Now, after eight years in jail, her murder conviction has been overturned.
The judges accepted she was suffering two mental disorders at the time of the attack and ordered a retrial.
“As a family, we’re overjoyed our mother’s story gets to be heard and given a fair trial,” son David Challen said.
Controlling, abusive behaviour like Richard Challen’s has since been declared a crime in the UK.
Campaigners hope this ruling will help other women who are appealing their murder convictions.
Sally Challen’s lawyers will now prepare to apply for bail, and say she’s prepared to plead guilty to manslaughter if the prosecution agrees to a deal.
“We really want her to be free, to live a happy life, to live an independent life that she has not lived even since the age of 15,” her son said.
For so long a victim, now Sally Challen has become a trailblazer.
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