Parents Campaign for Sentencing Law Change After Daughter's Murder

The parents of Megan Newborough, who was murdered by her colleague Ross McCullam in August 2021, are campaigning for changes to sentencing laws. McCullam, a lab technician, strangled and slit the throat of Newborough, 23, at his parents' home in Coalville, Leicestershire. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison in December 2022. However, Newborough's parents, Anthony and Elaine, believe the sentence was too lenient, partly because the murder occurred within a home, which led to a lower starting point for sentencing.

According to sentencing guidelines, a murder committed with a firearm typically has a starting point of 30 years, and using a weapon brought to the scene has a 25-year starting point. In McCullam's case, the judge used a 15-year starting point because the murder took place in a home where the weapon was already present. This resulted in a significant difference compared to if the crime had occurred outside.

"We were shocked by it [McCullam's sentence]. We were totally disgusted. How can a murder that takes place in the home be so different?" Elaine Newborough stated in the Channel 4 documentary "999: What Happened Next." She questioned the justification for a ten-year deficit based solely on the location of the murder.

John Cammegh KC, the prosecutor in the case, echoed these sentiments, expressing frustration that the location of the murder within a home did not equate to bringing a weapon to the scene under the guidelines. He had sought a sentence above 25 years, believing the circumstances warranted a much higher starting point than the baseline 15 years for murder.

McCullam, described as a "violent porn-obsessed" individual, also attempted to decapitate Newborough with a carving knife after strangling her. He later disposed of her body on a country lane and sent a text message to her phone asking if she had arrived home safely. He also masturbated to pornography for 17 minutes after dumping her body. During the sentencing, Newborough's older sister, Claire, called McCullam "the definition of a monster."

Following their campaign, the Newboroughs, alongside mothers Carole Gould and Julie Devey whose daughters were also killed at home by former partners, saw a breakthrough in June. The Ministry of Justice announced plans to strengthen sentencing laws. The proposed changes aim to address violence against women by potentially adding an extra ten years to the jail term for murderers who kill a partner or ex-partner at home with a weapon, thereby ending the sentencing disparity.

The Ministry of Justice indicated that the proposed law change is subject to consultation with the Sentencing Council but will be implemented as soon as possible. In March 2023, an appeal to increase McCullam's sentence, lodged by the Attorney General's Office, was rejected by the Court of Appeal, with senior judges finding no error in the original sentencing. The Newboroughs continue to highlight the emotional toll of their daughter's death and their campaign for justice, with Anthony Newborough describing the experience as mentally draining and destructive. Megan Newborough was remembered by her mother as someone who "saw the best in people" and made the world "colourful."