NUS Women’s Officer, Estelle Hart, has written to the Justice Minister, Ken Clarke MP, following a ruling made in a murder appeal case last week.

Appeal Court Judges quashed the conviction of Jon Clinton, who had been found guilty and sentenced for a minimum of 26 years for the murder of his wife, Dawn. Judges ruled that his wife’s infidelity should be allowed to be considered as a “qualifying trigger” in a defence of loss of control.

This runs contrary to the Coroners Justice Act 2009 in which it was decided infidelity shouldn’t be allowed as a defence for murder.

Estelle Hart has called on Ken Clarke to clarify the issues raised by this ruling – and to ensure that women are fully protected under the law, not held accountable by it for violence committed against them.

On average, 2 women a week are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales.

You can read Estelle’s letter in full here.