Mum's fight for justice after daughter took own life following campaign of abuse
The mum of a domestic abuse victim who took her own life is fighting for perpetrators to face manslaughter charges.
Chloe Holland died by suicide in February following a year of abuse from Marc Masterson, who was jailed in October after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour. Now her mum is bravely campaigning for abusers to be prosecuted for the more serious offence in cases where victims take their lives.
Mum Sharon has already lobbied her local authority, Portsmouth City Council, in a recent meeting which passed a motion for the change. She's now petitioning the government to write the changes into the law.
Chloe, a mum-of-one, suffered horrendous abuse by 26-year-old Masterson, who was physically violent, isolated her from friends and family and left her confidence in tatters by belittling her and controlling her appearance. The twisted abuser also encouraged her to take her life, a court heard, and he was jailed for 41 months after pleading guilty.
Masterson was jailed for 41 months in October (HotSpot Media)Addressing the council, Sharon said: "Fifteen per cent was taken off his sentence and he was praised for entering an early plea, three years and four months was all he was given for causing my beautiful daughter to take her life. Legislation must be changed so these monsters are held accountable for destroying a young girl's life and putting her through the most horrendous abuse."
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The council motion was supported by Councillor Kirsty Mellor who said the issue "strikes at the heart of justice and wellbeing". "When coercive control escalates into domestic suicide, our legal system must respond with the gravity and severity such horrific abuse deserves," she told the meeting.
The authority will now lobby the government to put the wheels in motion for changes to the law. Sharon is also petitioning for the tougher prosecutions and sentences which would fall inline with the damage inflicted by abusers.
Sharon, left, pictured with daughter Chloe (HotSpot Media)The online petition reads: "Currently manslaughter is a common law offence. At present it does not appear to be common practice for a domestic abuser to be prosecuted for manslaughter when their victim takes their own life as a result of coercive or controlling behaviour; with many commentators arguing that this is due to evidential difficulties.
"Creating a specific statutory offence of manslaughter by coercive or controlling behaviour would give the Government and Parliament an opportunity to clearly define this specific offence in statute, and we would hope this would lead to more people being prosecuted for manslaughter in appropriate cases." You can view Sharon's petition here.
- Every week in the UK, two women are murdered by an ex or current partner. For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
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