Grieving Nuneaton family's Parliament protest for justice for their daughter

Claire, Elaine and Anthony Newborough, family members of Megan Newborough, gathered at the Houses of Parliament with ‘black and blue plaques’ to drive change in UK domestic homicide sentencing laws.
-Credit: (Image: Killed Women)


A grieving Nuneaton family joined in a protest outside Parliament calling for justice for their daughter. Megan Newborough's parents Elaine and Anthony as well as one of her siblings Claire joined in the demonstration yesterday (September 17).

It was held by organisation Killed Women as part of a campaign to force a change in UK domestic homicide sentencing laws They held a poignant plaque, coloured black and blue to symbolise domestic violence, which bears Megan's name, her life span, and then the words;' killed here’, the sentence given, and ‘Murder is murder, change the law.’

The much-missed 23-year-old was killed by boyfriend Ross McCullam after the pair met at work and started a relationship. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years but Megan's family tried to get this sentence increased. However, they suffered even more heartache as the court ruled that Megan's 'calculated' killer should not have his sentence increased.

READ MORE: Why England manager Lee Carsley was in the crowd cheering on Nuneaton Town FC

READ MORE: Face of thug behind Nuneaton McDonald's knife attack

Megan's parents spoke to CoventryLive before the protest in London, explaining why they feel so compelled to get the government to change sentencing laws.

On average, perpetrators who kill in the home using a weapon kept in the home receive a sentence with a minimum prison term before being considered for parole, of around ten years less than those killed out of home.

The new Labour government says it plans to halve domestic violence involving women in ten years - but the Nuneaton couple say it is too late. They say more urgent action, including a change in sentencing law, is needed now.

Kind and caring Megan was only 23 when she was murdered by McCullam
Kind and caring Megan was only 23 when she was murdered by McCullam -Credit:PA

"We can't go on as it is, every year there are over 100 women killed, over ten years, that's over 1,000, if it was anything else, any other crime, something would be happening more quickly," Elaine said.

"It is not just about knife crime for us as Megan was also strangled. So as far as we are concerned, it doesn't matter what the weapon is, there is this disparity of ten years between a home and outside the home."

She added: "We shouldn't have to be doing things like this, we should be putting our energies into getting us through each day and living a life the best that you can," Elaine said.

"But we will keep doing this," Anthony said. "We have to, for Megan. "We have to get this change."

Claire, Elaine and Anthony Newborough, family members of Megan Newborough, gathered at the Houses of Parliament with ‘black and blue plaques’ to drive change in UK domestic homicide sentencing laws.
Claire, Elaine and Anthony Newborough, family members of Megan Newborough, gathered at the Houses of Parliament with ‘black and blue plaques’ to drive change in UK domestic homicide sentencing laws. -Credit:Killed Women

Julie Devey, who co-founded Killed Women with Carole Gould after they both lost their daughters to brutal murders at the hands of their ex-boyfriends, said that simply want justice.

"Sentencing for women murdered in the home by a domestic weapon is unfair," Julie Devey said. "Currently, murderers receive around ten years less in prison for killing in the home than they do if they kill on the street - which is insulting to the victims and their families.

"Sadly, women being murdered by men in the home is not going to end. Even though many murders are preventable - as the killers usually have a prior history of abuse - the final indignity is delivered in sentencing when the murderers receive an average of ten years less than for murders outside. This must stop. The minimum term must represent the crime and shouldn’t be determined by the location."

Families, including the Newborough's, stood with the plaques which the organisation hopes will hit the message home to the government about the importance of making changes.

"We want the symbolism of these plaques to raise this issue in the House of Commons," Julie Devey added. "The government showed a refreshing approach to the riots this summer and we want this issue to be granted the same attention, in honouring the pledges made by the previous government. While this won’t bring our loved one’s home, at the very least, families of future victims will be consoled by the knowledge that justice has been served."

Get all the Nuneaton and Bedworth news sent direct to you