Justice Secretary David Lammy has launched a powerful campaign to secure a posthumous pardon for Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain, whose controversial 1955 case continues to haunt the nation's legal conscience.
Ellis was hanged at Holloway Prison on July 13, 1955, for murdering her abusive lover David Blakely outside a Hampstead pub. Her execution sparked national outrage and became a pivotal moment in the movement to abolish capital punishment in Britain.
A Case Shrouded in Controversy
New evidence has emerged suggesting Ellis suffered from profound mental trauma and abuse at the hands of Blakely. Lammy argues these mitigating circumstances were never properly considered during her rushed trial, where the proceedings lasted just a day and a half.
"The treatment of Ruth Ellis remains a stain on our nation's history," Lammy stated. "We must confront these uncomfortable truths about how women experiencing domestic violence were failed by our justice system."
The Hampstead Crime That Changed Britain
The shooting occurred outside the Magdala pub in South Hill Park, Hampstead, on Easter Sunday 1955. Ellis, a 28-year-old mother and nightclub manager, fired five shots at Blakely, later claiming she hadn't intended to kill him.
Historical records reveal Blakely had subjected Ellis to sustained physical abuse, including punching her in the stomach when she was pregnant, causing a miscarriage just days before the shooting.
Growing Support for Posthumous Justice
Lammy's campaign has gained significant momentum, with Ellis's sister Murrie Jakubowski and surviving family members joining calls for recognition of the historical injustice. The case has drawn parallels with other controversial executions from the same era now being reconsidered.
The Justice Secretary's intervention comes as part of broader efforts to re-examine historical cases where modern understanding of mental health and domestic violence might have altered legal outcomes.
As Britain continues to grapple with the legacy of capital punishment, the Ruth Ellis case stands as a poignant reminder of a justice system that many believe failed one of its most vulnerable citizens.
