The grandchildren of the last woman to be hanged in Britain, who spent much of her childhood in Basingstoke, are seeking a posthumous pardon.
Ruth Ellis was convicted of murdering her lover David Blakely and hanged on July 13, 1955, after shooting him dead outside The Magdala pub in Hampstead on April 10 of the same year.
During her trial in June, she admitted that she intended to kill him and was convicted 20 minutes later to serving the mandatory death sentence for murder.
Now, 70 years later, her grandchildren are fighting for a pardon, arguing that she was physically and emotionally abused by Blakely before killing him.
Laura Enston, the granddaughter of Ruth Ellis, said: “Ruth’s execution has had a devastating impact on our family. My mother and uncle suffered from trauma from which neither of them were able to recover, and as grandchildren, we have felt these ripple effects. The evidence shared with the justice secretary makes clear that the punishment did not fit the crime.
“We are determined to do what we can to right this historic injustice and honour not only Ruth but all victims of domestic abuse who have been let down by the criminal justice system.”
Ellis, born October 9, 1926, moved to Basingstoke with her family as a child, attending the Fairfields Senior Girls’ School and Worting Village School, both in Basingstoke, before leaving school when she was 14.
She later worked as a nightclub hostess, which is where she met racing-driver Blakely, and they started a relationship which involved infidelity on both sides.
Her story was portrayed in the ITV drama, 'A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story'.
It showed her turbulent time with Blakely. Her family believe there is significant and crucial evidence that was not put forward at her trial, including her physically abusive and coercive relationship with Blakely, as well as the role of Desmond Cussen in supplying and training Ruth in the use of the weapon used to kill.
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Ruth’s grandchildren have applied to David Lammy, justice secretary, for a conditional pardon to ‘correct a historical wrong.’
Alex Bailin KC, representing Ruth’s family, said: “Thankfully, 70 years after Ruth was hanged, there is now a much better understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on the emotional wellbeing and behaviour of victims. Based on the evidence we have reviewed, if Ruth’s case had taken place in modern times, she would have been able to plead a defence of diminished responsibility or loss of control.
“A posthumous conditional pardon for Ruth Ellis would correct a historical wrong and send a clear message to the public that violence against women and girls is never acceptable.”
