Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy has recognized a "profound injustice" in the case of Ruth Ellis, the last woman sentenced to hang in Britain. Following a campaign by Ellis's grandchildren, King Charles granted her a posthumous conditional pardon, which replaces her death sentence with one of life imprisonment. This pardon does not overturn her 1955 conviction for the murder of her lover, David Blakely.
Ellis, a 28-year-old nightclub manager, shot Blakely outside The Magdala pub in Hampstead, north London, on Easter Sunday 1955. Her trial at the Old Bailey lasted just two days, and the jury convicted her of murder in under 15 minutes. The judge had directed the jury to disregard evidence of the sustained physical abuse Ellis had endured from Blakely, including an assault that led to her miscarriage.
More than 50,000 people signed a petition to spare Ellis from the gallows, but she was hanged at Holloway Prison three weeks after her conviction. Laura Enston, Ellis's granddaughter, described the case as a "blot on the conscience of Britain for such a long time."
Enston's interest in her grandmother's case was reignited by Carol Ann Lee's biography, "A Cruel Love," which explored Ellis's life and abusive relationship with Blakely. The book, which inspired a four-part ITV drama, highlighted issues with the trial and suggested Ellis may have been driven to violence due to the abuse she suffered. Medical records documented the domestic abuse, and the trial's swift proceedings were noted as a significant flaw.
Questions have also been raised about the role of Desmond Cussen, who was allegedly infatuated with Ellis. The family believes Cussen was with Ellis on the day of the murder and may have provided her with the gun and encouraged the act. According to a statement from Ellis's son, Andy, Cussen taught Ellis how to shoot and left her at the scene while intoxicated. Cussen's cousin was part of Ellis's prosecution team, and Cussen himself, who always denied involvement, later emigrated to Australia.
Enston stated that the campaign for justice has resonated with many women impacted by domestic violence and that the posthumous pardon has been a significant milestone, drawing messages of support from around the world.