Judges to review jail sentence of wife-killer
THE five-year-sentence given to a man who killed his wife in lockdown has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General.
Anthony Williams, 70, was sentenced to five years in prison after he admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility over the death of Ruth Williams, 67.
A spokesperson from the office of the Attorney General, Michael Ellis, said: “The Attorney General was shocked by this case. After careful consideration he has decided to refer the sentence of Anthony Williams to the Court of Appeal as he believes the sentence is unduly lenient.
“It is now for the court to decide whether to increase the sentence.”
Anthony Williams was cleared of murder following a trial, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility after strangling Ruth Williams in their home in Cwmbran on March 28, 2020.
At the time Judge Paul Thomas said: “The overwhelming greatest tragedy here is a lady of 67 who had so much to live for had her life ended by an act of great violence at the hands, literally, of a man she loved for very nearly 50 years.”
In interviews read to the jury, Williams agreed with detectives that he was responsible for the killing of his wife of 46 years, telling them he “snapped” while in bed. Matthew Roberts, prosecuting, told the jury that Williams snapped and attacked his wife when she told him to “get over it”.
A psychologist argued Williams’ depression and anxiety “was heightened” at the time of the attack, which “substantially” impaired his ability to exercise selfcontrol. Judge Paul Thomas told Swansea Crown Court the incident was “tragic” but that Williams’ mental state was “severely affected at the time”.
The attack began in the bedroom, and when Ruth Williams fled downstairs her husband followed. After the attack, Williams alerted neighbours, who informed the emergency services. The mother was found slumped in the porch of their home with a pair of keys in her hand. She was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The case was referred to the Attorney General after Labour MP Harriet Harman described the sentence as “unduly lenient”.
Earlier this month, Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered Torfaen council to carry out a review into Ruth Williams’ death, saying she was “not satisfied” with the council’s decision not to carry out a domestic homicide review into the circumstances surrounding the death.
Ms Patel has used her powers under Section 9(3) of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 to order the review.