Jade's Law: Parents of mother 'slaughtered' by 'horrific' partner welcome new law named after her

October 03, 2023

The parents of a murdered mother have told Sky News she would be "proud" of a new law named after her.

"Jade's Law" will take away the parental rights of a father or mother who has been found guilty of murdering the other parent.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has outlined plans to introduce the law before parliament by the end of the year.

The measures are named after Jade Ward, whose partner Russell Marsh stabbed and strangled her to death in 2021 while their children were asleep.

Despite currently serving at least 25 years in prison for her murder, Marsh has retained parental rights to request school reports and medical details of his children and could even stop them from travelling abroad - something Ms Ward's parents have been campaigning to bring to an end.

In an interview with The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee, Ms Ward's mother Karen Robinson said: "After [Marsh] had been remanded, we found out he still had parental rights to the boys, which we thought was just bizarre.

"How can a person who has slaughtered the other parent be able to keep the [parental] rights?

"So from that day we decided to do the Jade's Law campaign, because if Marsh would have known he would have lost the rights to the boys then maybe Jade would still be alive."

Ms Ward's father Paul Ward added: "She didn't die, she was slaughtered. She had the most horrific death you could ever imagine.

"She begged for her life. He was just the most horrible, horrific, narcissistic person. The kids were there when he slaughtered her."

Ms Robinson said: "Knowing he had parental responsibility was just horrendous - knowing he could ask questions and send messages and he could goad us and he could ask us silly things.

"He wanted the boys to be taken away from Jade's family and placed into care. According to Marsh, this is all Jade's fault and Jade's family's fault."

Mr Ward said it was "another way of him controlling from in prison."

Read more:
Whole-life sentences will become 'default' for sexually motivated or sadistic murders
Criminals to be forced to attend sentencing hearings or face longer in jail

'A massive day for us'

Under the proposed law, the courts would still consider the best interests of the child through a rapid and robust review stage and a right to apply to have the suspension lifted.

There will also be an exemption for those parents who lash out with diminished responsibility following a history of domestic abuse.

The measures will be introduced to parliament as part of the Victims and Prisoners Bill.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the new rules, tweeting: "Monsters who murder their partners should not be able to manipulate their children from behind bars, that's why we are fixing the law to protect children and families."

Mr Ward said the proposed change in the law was "a massive day for us".

Ms Robinson added: "The fact that Jade's death is going to help families in the future, she'll be proud.

"We are doing this so no other family have to go through the pain, the hurt, the upset, the stress, the trauma of having to deal with losing Jade anyway, but then having to deal with worrying every day - what is he going to do now, or what is he going to say now?

"The fact that, early next year, no family will ever have to worry about that. No family will have to sit there day in day out and be really concerned he might get his own way and have the boys taken away from their family."

Rate this item
(0 votes)

HOW TO LISTEN

103.5 & 105.3FM

Online

Mobile Apps

Smart Speaker