A law that has been campaigned for throughout the past few years has been passed as one of the last under this parliament before the upcoming General Election. The law, aptly titled ‘Jade’s Law’, has been finalised into the Victims and Prisoners Bill.
Jade Ward was brutally murdered by her children’s father, Russell Marsh in 2021. He was convicted of the murder in 2021, and was handed a life sentence. Despite the sentence, Marsh was still able to communicate with his four children from prison, requesting pictures, school reports and even medical details. He also had the ability to prevent them from travelling abroad.
The family of Miss Ward, parents Karen Robinson and Paul Ward, and family friend Edwin Duggan, had campaigned for Jade’s Law to be passed by parliament since Jade’s murder, with the ultimate aim of the law to strip him of his parental rights. Alyn and Deeside MP, Mark Tami, supported and vocally backed the campaign also.
The law, having now been finalised, prevents parents who are convicted of murder or voluntary manslaughter against an individual they have children with, from having any parental rights over the shared child or children upon being handed their sentence. This is done to allow bereaved relatives time and space to grieve and take care of the children without the long and traumatic process of applying to court to have the rights suspended through a court order. The implementation of this law also means the new guardians of the children do not have to apply to court each time they need to make a decision on the child’s behalf, whether this be for medical reasons, schooling reasons, or even to take them on holiday.
There is, however, a notable exemption for cases where those who kill their abusers as a result of domestic abuse.
Mark Tami MP has said “I feel really proud that it’s finally been passed. It’s been a long journey over the last couple of years", and how everyone had worked “tirelessly” for the passing of the law. He explains his disappointment that Jade’s Law will not apply retrospectively, but plans to “lobby to MPs to make it retrospective”.
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