Search Results: mental abuse

Sally Challen, who was jailed for life for killing her husband in a hammer attack following decades of emotional abuse, has walked free from court after a judge announced she would not face a retrial.

Challen, 65, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London on Friday to nine years and four months – time already served – for the manslaughter of her husband, Richard.

Challen said she suffered 40 years of controlling and humiliating abuse before she killed her 61-year-old husband in August 2010.

Sall's husand called Richard Challen was unfaithful throughout the marriage and frequently visited brothels. He put pictures of himself with naked strippers on Christmas cards leaving his wife feeling humiliated. He was also very controlling whilst he himself was unfaithful.

Sally Challen moved out of the family home in 2009 but was said to still be emotionally dependent on her husband. When she discovered he had contacted another woman, she hit him more than 20 times with a hammer.

The appeal court was told she had two mental disorders at the time of the killing, and that her condition was likely to have been made worse by the coercive control.

Challen said she hoped the justice system would take abuse more seriously. “I met many women in prison who shouldn’t be there. Getting an appeal is very difficult. I was turned down on the first attempt. The justice system needs to listen,” she said.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/07/sally-challen-will-not-face-retrial-for-killing-husband