Killing of Richard Challen
 | |
| Date | 14 August 2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | Claygate, Surrey, England |
| Deaths | Richard Challen |
| Convicted | Sally Challen |
On the morning of 14 August 2010, Richard Challen was killed by his wife Georgina 'Sally' Challen (née Jenney)[1][2] in Claygate, Surrey, England.[3] Sally, 56 at the time, beat the 61-year-old retiree with a hammer 20 times, killing him, after he told her not to question him.[4][3] She then covered the body and left a note that said, "I love you. Sally."[5] The killing occurred in the kitchen of the couple's marital home.[3] On the following day, Sally travelled to Beachy Head, intending to kill herself.[3]
She was initially convicted of murder, but the conviction was later quashed on appeal and she pleaded guilty to manslaughter.[4] The case is the subject of the BBC Two documentary The Case of Sally Challen.[6]
Background[edit]
Sally, the youngest of five children, was the daughter of a brigadier in the Royal Engineers who died when she was six years old. She was raised by her mother in Surrey and attended school up to O-levels.[2] She met Richard, a car dealer, when she was 15 years old and they married in 1979.[7] They had two sons, David and James.[8]
Trial[edit]
At Guildford Crown Court in Surrey in June 2011, she was convicted of his murder after a seven-day trial, for which she was jailed for life.[4][3] Coercive control became a criminal offence in 2015.[3] In February 2019 at the Court of Appeal in London, her conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered in light of her having adjustment disorder at the time she killed her husband.[4][3] Her appeal was based partly on her undiagnosed mental health conditions; she had been treated for bipolar disorder, dependent personality disorder and adjustment disorder while in prison.[9] Sally admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and pleaded not guilty to murder.[4] She was due to be retried on 1 July 2019.[4] However, on 7 June 2019 at the Old Bailey in London, her plea was accepted and the retrial cancelled.[4] The judge said that Challen controlled, isolated and humiliated his wife and was frequently unfaithful to her.[4] He sentenced her to nine years and four months' imprisonment, which she had already served.[4] Sally's son David supported her and fought for her in the media; he felt the murder could have been prevented.[9]
In May 2020, Judge Paul Matthews, sitting in the High Court in Bristol, ruled that Sally could inherit the estate of the deceased Challen, which is valued at £1 million.[5] The claim was made to help benefit Sally's children.
References[edit]
- ^ CPS accepts Sally Challen’s manslaughter plea
- ^ a b Moore, Anna (29 September 2018). "'I miss him so much': why did a devoted wife kill the man she loved?". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sally Challen: Husband 'controlled the world around her'
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Woman who killed husband with hammer walks free from court
- ^ a b Peltier, Elian (1 June 2020). "Abused Woman Who Killed Husband Is Granted the Family's U.K. Estate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ The Case of Sally Challen review – inside the trial that changed everything for women
- ^ Doward, Jamie (3 January 2019). "'My mum killed my dad with a hammer but I want her freed'". BBC News.
- ^ Doward, Jamie (6 August 2019). "Justice system smeared our mother, say Sally Challen's sons". The Guardian.
- ^ a b Moore, Anna (10 December 2019). "Sally Challen on her release from prison: 'I'm not sure how I'll cope on my own'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 November 2020.