Woman who killed husband with hammer wins appeal

A woman who killed her husband in a hammer attack has won a landmark appeal against her murder conviction.

Georgina Challen, known as Sally, says she killed 61-year-old Richard Challen in August 2010 after 40 years of being controlled and humiliated by him.

She was found guilty of his murder at Guildford Crown Court in 2011 and jailed for life.

But her conviction was overturned by judges at the Court of Appeal yesterday who said that the evidence of a psychiatrist, that Challen was suffering from two mental disorders at the time of the killing, undermined the safety of her conviction.

Challen, 65, who attended the appeal over a video link from HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Surrey, was visibly emotional as she was told the outcome and there were cheers and applause from relatives and supporters in the public gallery.

However, the panel of three leading judges refused to substitute a manslaughter verdict and ordered that Challen must face a retrial for murder.

The judges rejected an application by Challen’s lawyers for her to be released on bail.

At her trial, Challen, of Claygate, Surrey, admitted killing the former car dealer but denied murder, claiming diminished responsibility.

She was jailed for 18 years.