{"id":197,"date":"2026-04-29T18:42:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/families-of-murdered-women-channelled-unimaginable-grief-into-important-change\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T18:42:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:42:35","slug":"families-of-murdered-women-channelled-unimaginable-grief-into-important-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/families-of-murdered-women-channelled-unimaginable-grief-into-important-change\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Families of murdered women channelled unimaginable grief into important change&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_aeb05f\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Claire Waxman, the Victims&#8217; Commissioner for England and Wales, writes for The Mirror about a change in the law to force offenders to attend their sentencing hearings in court<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<div class=\"Byline_author-and-badge-wrapper__2dsv1\">\n<p><span><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35 __className_aeb05f\">By Claire Waxman, the Victims&#8217; Commissioner for England and Wales<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\"><\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37089357\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Farah, the aunt of Zara Aleena (above), told the Victims' Commissioner the offender\u2019s absence felt like \u201ca kick in the teeth\u201d\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_SWNS_ALEENA_MURDER_002.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Farah, the aunt of Zara Aleena (above), told the Victims' Commissioner the offender\u2019s absence in court felt like \u201ca kick in the teeth\u201d\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Farah, the aunt of Zara Aleena (above), told the Victims&#8217; Commissioner the offender\u2019s absence in court felt like \u201ca kick in the teeth\u201d<cite aria-label=\"Image: SWNS\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: SWNS)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As the Victims and Courts Bill gains Royal Assent, it marks the culmination of years of campaigning for change by bereaved victims and families. Long-fought-for protections has just become law. More importantly, it demonstrates what becomes possible when the justice system listens to those it exists to serve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Too often, victims and families are left feeling like bystanders in proceedings that profoundly affect their lives. A criminal justice system focused on process can feel distant and unresponsive to their pain. This is felt most acutely at sentencing, when offenders are able to choose not to attend hearings &#8211; one of the very few moments when victims and families are finally given a voice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The families of Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa channelled unimaginable grief into determined, purposeful campaigning to ensure this harm was properly recognised. Jebina Nessa, Sabina\u2019s sister, was among the first to bring national attention to the impact of offenders refusing to attend sentencing. Cheryl Korbel campaigned for change following the murder of her daughter Olivia, adding her voice to growing calls for action on offenders\u2019 non-attendance at sentencing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ayse, whose cousin Jan Mustafa was murdered in 2018, described standing alone in court, reading words forged in grief \u201cto no one\u201d. Farah, the aunt of Zara Aleena, told me the offender\u2019s absence felt like \u201ca kick in the teeth\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_59dbd4\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"35168408\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/politics\/vile-criminals-who-try-dodge-35168408\" tabindex=\"0\">Vile criminals who try to dodge justice will face fresh punishment under new Labour law<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37088426\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37088426\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.58\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Farah Naz, Ayse Hussein, Keir Starmer, Jebina Islam and Claire Waxman in July last year\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_download.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Farah Naz, Ayse Hussein, Keir Starmer, Jebina Islam and Claire Waxman in July last year\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Farah Naz, Ayse Hussein, Keir Starmer, Jebina Islam and Claire Waxman in July last year<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Hearing directly from these families about the additional harm caused by non-attendance strengthened my determination to work alongside them and press for change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The sentencing hearing is one of the very few moments in the justice process where victims and families are given a voice. When an offender wilfully refuses to attend, it compounds trauma and strips that moment of accountability. These families were clear: their calls for change were not about retribution. They were about recognition, dignity and the basic expectation that those who cause the most serious harm should face the consequences of their actions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Because they spoke out \u2013 and because their lived experience was listened to \u2013 the law is now changing. In July of last year, I was privileged to accompany these inspiring individuals to Number 10 to meet the Prime Minister and discuss their tireless work that helped change the law \u2013 ensuring offenders are compelled to attend sentencing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Under the Victims and Courts Act, courts will have powers to compel attendance at sentencing hearings, with consequences for those who continue to refuse, including additional time added to their sentence and the loss of privileges. Even small extensions to a sentence matter deeply to families because they represent acknowledgement that further harm was caused.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">This reform did not appear overnight. It exists because victims and bereaved families refused to accept being sidelined, and instead spent years campaigning with determination, dignity and courage to ensure their experiences shaped the law.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37089096\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37089096\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Claire Waxman said the changes to the law were \u201cthe culmination of years of campaigning for change by bereaved victims and families\u201d\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_claire-waxman-victims-2x1.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Claire Waxman said the changes to the law were \u201cthe culmination of years of campaigning for change by bereaved victims and families\u201d\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Claire Waxman said the changes to the law were \u201cthe culmination of years of campaigning for change by bereaved victims and families\u201d<cite aria-label=\"Image: Internet Unknown\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Internet Unknown)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The same is true of reforms to the Unduly Lenient Sentencing (ULS) scheme. Under the new reforms, victims and bereaved families will be given significantly more time to challenge sentences they believe do not reflect the seriousness of the crime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Following the murder of her son Josh, Tracey Hanson campaigned tirelessly to expose the lack of parity between the rights of victims and offenders within the scheme. While offenders are informed of their appeal rights and can apply outside the 28-day limit in exceptional circumstances, many victims are never told the scheme exists and are bound by a rigid deadline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Despite raising concerns about the sentence, Tracey was not informed of the scheme and only became aware of it on the final day of the 28-day window. Although she submitted her application immediately, it was rejected as out of time. Her determination helped bring national attention to systemic gaps that left victims feeling powerless and unheard. Katie Brett has also spoken out powerfully following the murder of her sister Sasha, supporting calls for the scheme to be extended so families are not left without meaningful routes to challenge a sentence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Tracey called for two clear changes: for the rigid 28-day time limit to be extended in exceptional circumstances, and for responsibility for informing victims and bereaved families about the scheme to sit clearly with a single, accountable agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Under the new reforms, victims and bereaved families will now have up to six months to ask for a sentence to be reconsidered, where it is in the interests of justice to do so. The government will also introduce a legal duty in the Victims\u2019 Code to notify victims of the existence of the ULS scheme, ensuring families are informed of their right to challenge a sentence and how to do so.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Both reforms go to the heart of why the role of Victims\u2019 Commissioner exists. The purpose of my role is to ensure that the lived experience of victims is used to improve legislation, policy and practice. As someone who has lived with the impact of stalking for over two decades, I know personally how easily victims can be marginalised by systems that prioritise process over people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Bill also strengthens my powers as Victims\u2019 Commissioner, enabling greater scrutiny of how agencies respond to victims and how commitments made on paper translate into practice. That oversight matters. Without proper resourcing, training and cultural change across the justice system, even the most well-intentioned reforms risk falling short.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As we approach Royal Assent, this moment is about recognition &#8211; recognising the courage and persistence of campaigners who refused to be silenced. But it is also a reminder that legislation alone is never enough. The true test of these reforms will be whether they are implemented effectively, consistently and with the seriousness they deserve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Victims and Courts Bill shows what is possible when lived experience is taken seriously. Now, government and criminal justice agencies must deliver on what has been promised.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/politics\/families-murdered-women-channelled-unimaginable-37088445\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Claire Waxman, the Victims&#8217; Commissioner for England and Wales, writes for The Mirror about a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1777488156_0_SWNS_ALEENA_MURDER_002.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}