Killer next door to appeal over Army trauma
38-YEAR JAIL TOO SEVERE, SAYS MUM
THE family of a war veteran jailed for murdering his neighbours in a parking row want his minimum sentence reduced.
Collin Reeves, 35, was jailed this week for the murders of Jennifer and Stephen Chapple and must serve at least 38 years.
But the killer’s parents are talking to lawyers in a bid to cut the term.
Mother Lynn Reeves, 68, said prosecutors did not get full details of her son’s mental health problems until days before the trial.
She said: “You cannot condone what Collin did. He knows he deserves to be punished. But we believe he was let down by the psychiatrists who assessed his mental health for the court. His legal team were shocked by the length of the sentence and are considering an appeal.”
Mrs Reeves and husband Brian said days before the murders, their son broke down in tears when Last Post sounded on a Remembrance
Day TV broadcast.
Mrs Reeves said:
“The psychiatrists decided he was suffering
only mild or moderate depression and that influenced the prosecution in refusing his manslaughter plea.”
She believes if the prosecution had had enough time to consider forensic clinical psychologist Karen Gough’s diagnosis, her son’s manslaughter plea would have been accepted.
Dr Gough diagnosed complex posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, avoidance issues and disassociation. But a mix-up over email details meant she only saw him a week
before his court case. Reeves
was a lance corporal with 24 Commando Royal Engineers at Camp Bastion, Helmand, Afghanistan, where he guarded terrorist prisoners.
Retired carer Mrs Reeves said: “He was let down when he was discharged. There was no follow-up. No assessment of any possible PTSD issues.”
In November 2021, he climbed a garden fence, entered the Chapples’ home in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, and stabbed Jennifer, 33, and Stephen, 36, in their living room with a ceremonial dagger he received upon leaving the
Army. Their two sons were asleep upstairs during the attack, which lasted less than a minute.
Jennifer was killed on the sofa and Stephen was found lying close to the back door.
Reeves then returned home, dialled 999 and confessed. He had been having a row with the Chapples over designated parking on the new-build housing development for six months.
And just 40 minutes before the attack, Reeves’ wife Kayley, mum to their two kids, had asked for a trial separation.
At Bristol crown court, judge Mr Justice Garnham said the killings had “torn the heart out of two perfectly normal, decent families”.
Mrs Reeves said: “Knowing what we now know about his mental health, should that sentence be for 38 years?”
The Crown Prosecution Service’s Joanna Clark said: “Reeves sought to avoid responsibility for murder by claiming his actions were the result of PTSD. Two psychiatrists agreed that although Reeves suffered from mild to moderate depression this was not sufficient to be considered abnormal mental functioning that could lead to diminished responsibility.
“Our thoughts are with the family of Jennifer and Stephen.”
patrick.hill@people.co.uk