Killing of Ruth Williams

While Anthony Williams pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, he was tried for murder at Swansea Crown Court. One psychologist, Dr Alison Witts, argued that his faculties were impaired due to depression, sleep deprivation, and anxiety, that was worsened by the pandemic and lockdown.^[8] Dr Damian Gamble, another psychologist, said that the defendant had no history of mental illness.^[4]

Anthony Williams was found not guilty of murder in a unanimous verdict.^[6] The starting point for a manslaughter sentence is between one and seven years,^[9] rising to life imprisonment at maximum.^[4] Due to the sustained nature of the attack, he would have faced seven-and-a-half years, but this was reduced to five due to his guilty plea. At sentencing, he was told he would likely serve half of this sentence in prison.^[9]

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs and Victims' Commissioner Dame Vera Baird wrote a joint letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland and Attorney General Michael Ellis. They proposed a review of sentencing for domestic homicides, contrasting Anthony Williams' sentence with that of a woman who received a life sentence for murder of her abusive husband, later reduced to 14 years for manslaughter. They argued that women are more likely to use weapons to kill abusive partners as they are often physically weaker than men, and therefore receive aggravated sentences for using weapons.^[10]

Labour Members of Parliament Harriet Harman, Jess Phillips and Alex Davies-Jones wrote letters to the Attorney General, asking for the case to be reviewed in the High Court of Appeals. According to Harman, a former Solicitor General, Anthony Williams would have been convicted of murder had he killed a neighbour outside his house.^[11]

In March 2021, Ellis referred the sentence to the Court of Appeals as unduly lenient.^[12] The following month, the court refused to increase the sentence; Lord Justice Bean ruled that it was correct for the trial judge not to consider sentencing guidelines for domestic abuse, as "There was no history of controlling behaviour or coercive behaviour or any previous incidents of violence or abuse… Quite the contrary".^[13] Commenting on the court's decision, Labour MP Harriet Harman said, "Saying [Anthony] Williams’ actions are wholly explained by his illness shows the courts are simply still too ready to accept excuses.... To say it’s not domestic abuse, when a man kills his wife, is fatuous. This is the ultimate, most extreme form of domestic abuse."^[13]

Patel ordered for Torfaen County Borough Council to carry out a domestic homicide review, which had previously been refused on the basis that Ruth Williams was not known to social services.^[14]

The Observer named Williams as an example in their campaign to highlight abuse and violence towards elderly women.^[15]

While the trial was ongoing, a Welsh anti-domestic violence activist wrote a tweet in which she speculated that Anthony Williams had a history of abuse, something denied in his daughter's testimony. The activist, and Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament member Helen Mary Jones who shared the tweet, were reprimanded by the judge for "a clear contempt of court", though no formal action was taken.^[16]