Latest news with #ACruelLove
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Telegraph
The cowardly copycats avoiding sentencing must be stopped
There was a moment while I binge-watched the ITV drama, A Cruel Love, about Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, when I put down my coffee and sat bolt upright, silenced. I watched as a black cap was placed on the head of the judge and he passed sentence, telling Ellis of her death by hanging for the murder of her lover. It was the moment of reckoning. I would not for one moment urge the return of capital punishment. The story of Ellis, hanged in 1955, is a reminder that the legal system was right to later introduce the defence of diminished responsibility while other cases showed how dreadful mistakes can be made about guilt. But the passing of a sentence, even without capital punishment, matters. It is the outcome of judgment and tells the victim's family, and indeed, all of us, that justice has been done. The convicted criminal faces avenging terrible deeds. Except now we have a growing trend for those convicted to avoid such reckoning. On Tuesday, Kyle Clifford, found guilty of the murder of Carol Hunt, wife of the BBC's racing commentator, John Hunt, and of their daughters, Hannah and Louise, refused to come to court to listen to the judge pass sentence. Clifford is the latest in a line of killers who have declined to attend court for their sentencing. Think of Thomas Cashman who shot dead nine year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, or Jordan McSweeney, who sexually assaulted and murdered 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena. Sometimes killers who profess their innocence do this, such as Lucy Letby, but others where there is indisputable proof, like Kyle Clifford, just refuse to listen. Surely the time has come to put a stop to the cowardly copycats who want to follow in the footsteps of their fellow murderers and evade this moment when they hear their fate. One reason for this growing refusal of convicted murderers to attend sentencing may well be the introduction of Victims' Personal Statements being given in court, introduced by the Victims' Charter in 1996. Lawyers for the prosecution and the defence continue to outline the case in major criminal trials, and interrogate witnesses, but nothing brings home the consequence of someone's evil actions more powerfully than hearing from those most directly affected. As John Hunt and his daughter Amy read their statements, those in court, including police officers, wept as they listened. Clifford, however, avoided hearing something so harrowing. The previous government attempted to put an end to these refusals by pledging to introduce a criminal justice bill which would allow 'reasonable force' to be used to make criminals appear in the dock. But that bill, due to the calling of the general election, fell. Families, including Cheryl, the mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, have campaigned for killers to be compelled to attend sentencing. But it can be difficult. In Kyle Clifford's case, the judge said he did not insist he came to court because he did not want him potentially disrupting proceedings. But the Starmer government must surely legislate some means of doing this, such as keeping a convicted killer refusing to attend court in their prison cell, while sentencing is broadcast to it. On Tuesday, John Hunt said in his impact statement how much he regretted not being able to speak directly to Kyle Clifford: ' I so wanted to deliver these words, eye to eye, with Kyle '. We no longer have eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, Old Testament-style punishment in this country. There is no judge with a black cap on his head telling the killer in the dock 'May God have mercy on your soul', as they pronounce death by hanging. But we must surely have eye to eye sentencing – for the sake of families like the Hunts, and for all of us, wanting justice to be done. Judges have raised concerns – and rightly – that bringing a screaming criminal with force to the dock would be highly disruptive. But there should surely be ways and means, such as broadcasting sentencing to their prison cell if they refuse to attend court. The Sunak government planned to introduce legislation about this but it fell because of the election. It must be revived.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
The cowardly copycats avoiding sentencing must be stopped
There was a moment while I binge-watched the ITV drama, A Cruel Love, about Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, when I put down my coffee and sat bolt upright, silenced. I watched as a black cap was placed on the head of the judge and he passed sentence, telling Ellis of her death by hanging for the murder of her lover. It was the moment of reckoning. I would not for one moment urge the return of capital punishment. The story of Ellis, hanged in 1955, is a reminder that the legal system was right to later introduce the defence of diminished responsibility while other cases showed how dreadful mistakes can be made about guilt. But the passing of a sentence, even without capital punishment, matters. It is the outcome of judgment and tells the victim's family, and indeed, all of us, that justice has been done. The convicted criminal faces avenging terrible deeds. Except now we have a growing trend for those convicted to avoid such reckoning. On Tuesday, Kyle Clifford, found guilty of the murder of Carol Hunt, wife of the BBC's racing commentator, John Hunt, and of their daughters, Hannah and Louise, refused to come to court to listen to the judge pass sentence. Clifford is the latest in a line of killers who have declined to attend court for their sentencing. Think of Thomas Cashman who shot dead nine year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, or Jordan McSweeney, who sexually assaulted and murdered 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena. Sometimes killers who profess their innocence do this, such as Lucy Letby, but others where there is indisputable proof, like Kyle Clifford, just refuse to listen. Surely the time has come to put a stop to the cowardly copycats who want to follow in the footsteps of their fellow murderers and evade this moment when they hear their fate. One reason for this growing refusal of convicted murderers to attend sentencing may well be the introduction of Victims' Personal Statements being given in court, introduced by the Victims' Charter in 1996. Lawyers for the prosecution and the defence continue to outline the case in major criminal trials, and interrogate witnesses, but nothing brings home the consequence of someone's evil actions more powerfully than hearing from those most directly affected. As John Hunt and his daughter Amy read their statements, those in court, including police officers, wept as they listened. Clifford, however, avoided hearing something so harrowing. The previous government attempted to put an end to these refusals by pledging to introduce a criminal justice bill which would allow 'reasonable force' to be used to make criminals appear in the dock. But that bill, due to the calling of the general election, fell. Families, including Cheryl, the mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, have campaigned for killers to be compelled to attend sentencing. But it can be difficult. In Kyle Clifford's case, the judge said he did not insist he came to court because he did not want him potentially disrupting proceedings. But the Starmer government must surely legislate some means of doing this, such as keeping a convicted killer refusing to attend court in their prison cell, while sentencing is broadcast to it. On Tuesday, John Hunt said in his impact statement how much he regretted not being able to speak directly to Kyle Clifford: 'I so wanted to deliver these words, eye to eye, with Kyle'. We no longer have eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, Old Testament-style punishment in this country. There is no judge with a black cap on his head telling the killer in the dock 'May God have mercy on your soul', as they pronounce death by hanging. But we must surely have eye to eye sentencing – for the sake of families like the Hunts, and for all of us, wanting justice to be done. Judges have raised concerns – and rightly – that bringing a screaming criminal with force to the dock would be highly disruptive. But there should surely be ways and means, such as broadcasting sentencing to their prison cell if they refuse to attend court. The Sunak government planned to introduce legislation about this but it fell because of the election. It must be revived. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'I went to see SZA's new comedy and I've never laughed so much in a cinema'
When was the last time you had a proper giggle at the cinema? For me, it was just last night, all thanks to Keke Palmer's latest flick. It's well known that the Disney and Nickelodeon alum can tickle our funny bones, but I've never laughed so hard during a film. Honestly, I would have put my laughter down to being in good spirits if it wasn't for the rest of the cinema joining in - full-on belly laughs at every punchline. Directed by Lawrence Lamont, One of Them Days hit UK screens on Friday (March 7), following a successful premiere in the USA this January. The buddy-comedy centres on flatmates and BFFs Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who find out that Alyssa's good-for-nothing boyfriend, Keshawn (Joshua David Neale), has blown their rent money on his latest hare-brained scheme. READ MORE: Full list of Harry Potter rumoured TV series cast as John Lithgow confirms Dumbledore role READ MORE: A Cruel Love star Lucy Boynton struggled to 'switch off' as she filmed harrowing Ruth Ellis drama The pair are then in a race against time to scrape together the missing $1,500 before the day is out, leading them into a series of side-splitting situations. In one instance, they unwittingly flog a local gangster's vintage Air Jordan trainers, only for him to discover their mistake and demand a cool $5,000, reports the Daily Star. Another scene that had me howling sees the duo trying to secure a loan. On the doorstep of the loan company, they encounter Lucky (Katt Williams), a homeless man with a disdain for the system, who gives them a stark warning: "Don't do it. It's a trap. If you don't have the money this month, you're not going to have it next month." Despite Lucky's best attempts, Dreux and Alyssa press on with their scheme, convinced they've cracked the code to their predicament. However, there's a snag: their credit scores, even combined, fall woefully short of the mark needed for a loan. The cashier dealing with their application can't help but dissolve into fits of laughter as she tries to explain their situation, making for a hilarious scene. It's worth noting that this comedy of errors unfolds on the same day Dreux has a crucial job interview lined up for a better-paid position, so the pressure is mounting. Fans of buddy flicks might spot similarities with Ice Cube's early '90s Friday series. These popular comedies, which coined phrases like 'Bye Felicia', share the same race-against-time format seen in One of Them Days. Friday also takes place in Los Angeles and centres around two main characters. But One of Them Days is as much a nod to its cherished predecessors as it is a breath of fresh air, mainly because it stars two women. The buddy movie genre is largely dominated by films about two male characters embarking on a comedic quest. Unfortunately, female-led buddy comedies are few and far between. A recent addition to this sub-genre is Olivia Wilde's Booksmart, which viewers have likened to Superbad, another well-loved buddy film. The 2019 dramedy was a hit, satisfying cinema-goers' craving for female-led comedic friendships on the silver screen. One of Them Days follows suit, making a compelling argument for more women-centric buddy comedies, especially those led by women of colour. In its 95-minute runtime, the comedy explores everything from Black women's struggles climbing the corporate ladder to gentrification, and stereotypes that Black men face. All of this social commentary is wrapped up in sharp writing and jokes that landed every single time. Through Dreux and Alyssa's messy quest to raise $1,500, One of Them Days proves that we need more Black women at the front of the buddy film sub-genre — how else would we discover girls' night recipes like the Hot Cheeto martini? One of Them Days is in cinemas now.
Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
A Cruel Love, review: Lucy Boynton's Ruth Ellis is less criminal, more feminist hero
'A woman like her, they were never going to let her off,' says the barrister in A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (ITV1). Ellis was a nightclub manager, a former escort, a neglectful mother, a bottle blonde. She was also a domestic abuse victim. The man she murdered, David Blakely, was a violent womaniser who had recently caused her miscarriage by punching her in the stomach. If the case were heard today, she could plead diminished responsibility; the book on which this drama is based, Carol Ann Lee's A Fine Day For a Hanging, argues that she was suffering from PTSD. But this was 1955. A jury found Ellis guilty in under 15 minutes, and she became the last woman in Britain to be hanged. Then again, should the jury really have found otherwise? Ellis shot Blakely four times. He went down after the first shot, and she fired the other three bullets at close range while he lay helpless on the ground. At her trial, she coolly said: 'It's obvious when I shot him I intended to kill him.' It's a complicated case, and A Cruel Love reopens the debate over whether or not the verdict was justified. It's a thought-provoking drama powered by a strong central performance from Lucy Boynton, who seems to offer little more than clipped tones and a gimlet glare in the early scenes but comes into her own in the final episode as the minutes tick by until the execution and Ellis tries to suppress her fear. Those last moments are a horror. The story has been told several times, including in Mike Newell's excellent 1985 film, Dance With a Stranger. The key difference between these two is the role of Desmond Cussen. In the earlier telling (played by Ian Holm) Cussen was an essentially benign figure, hopelessly in love with Ellis and concerned with protecting her. Mark Stanley plays him in the new version as a weasel who gives Ellis the loaded gun and ultimately betrays her. Toby Jones is here as John Bickford, the doleful solicitor who tries in vain to convince Ellis to reveal Cussen's involvement. He gets the key speech, when he says that Ellis represents everything that the Establishment fears: an ambitious woman with no respect for class or sexual boundaries. In a neat bit of casting, Nigel Havers plays his real-life grandfather, who was the trial judge in the case. What the drama lacks is chemistry between Ellis and Blakely (Laurie Davidson). In the film, Miranda Richarson and Rupert Everett had it in spades, making it clear why neither party could stay away from this toxic relationship. This Blakely is forgettable, but perhaps that's intentional in a drama that wants to reframe the case with Ellis as the victim.
The Guardian
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story review – the sad, shocking tale of the last woman to be hanged in Britain
For obvious reasons, the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman in Britain to be hanged by the state, has been told and retold in many different versions over the years, in film, theatre, radio and, of course, television. In A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Lucy Boynton brings it to the small screen once again, playing the woman sentenced to death for shooting her lover, David Blakely, outside the Magdala pub in Hampstead, north-west London. It is a sad and complex story, and while the performances are excellent, this solid four-parter can only march them grimly towards their inevitable conclusion. It begins on the day of Ellis's execution, in 1955, as she refuses an offer of drugs to 'calm' her. It skips back several months to the night of her arrest – the night of the shooting – and then back again a few years, to where it all began for the purposes of this interpretation. Ellis, who was just 28 when she was hanged, is being interviewed for a job as the manager of a high-end(ish) London nightclub. The proprietor asks her to prioritise the final seat left vacant in the establishment: should it go to the aristocrat, the businessman or the actor? Boynton delivers the first of many wonderfully theatrical monologues in reply, establishing the framework of a fragile and shifting class system in postwar Britain. Here is where A Cruel Love is most effective. Ellis has adopted a cut-glass accent, but she wears it like a costume. She has become, as she likes to remind people, the manageress of the nightclub, but she is also a sex worker under the thumb of her grotesque boss and landlord. She is presented as street smart, tough and eloquent, but is clearly vulnerable as the single mother of two small children. When she meets racing driver Blakely (Laurie Davidson), she is drawn into his wealthier world, and that of his friends, the Findlaters, 'those malicious snobs' who look down on Ellis. Blakely and Ellis begin a toxic and violent relationship. His friends only see sport in his relentless philandering and appear to encourage his growing cruelty towards Ellis. Ellis is a perpetual outsider. In court, she must attempt to convince a jury of 12 men that she is not a bad mother, not immoral, that there were mitigating circumstances (the concept of diminished responsibility came into law two years after Ellis's execution, we are told, in a telling note at the very end) and that Blakely was abusive. There is a claustrophobia to the cinematography, which is simultaneously beautiful and suffocatingly close. The camera does not shy away from Blakely's acts of violence, and I wonder if it lingers on them a touch too long. The performances, though, are outstanding. Boynton really is fantastic as Ellis, driven to breaking point by the awful obsessions of privileged men, who are, ironically, the only ones who might be able to save her life in the end. Toby Jones is predictably great as her conflicted lawyer John Bickford, who seems entirely out of his depth with a woman who readily admits her guilt – 'I took David's life. I don't expect you to save mine' – while she is silently pleading for an empathy that seems out of reach for almost everyone. A Cruel Love is as well acted as it is handsome. The supporting cast is so strong that actors like Juliet Stevenson and Nigel Havers just drop in, briefly. Havers plays his real-life grandfather Justice Havers, the judge who sentenced Ellis to death. It is not always the case, but it can be difficult to sustain a true-crime drama when you know what happens at the end. Here, there is no hope of a reprieve, only a smouldering sense of impending doom. It pours in from all sides. Ellis has another man in her life, Desmond Cussen (a wonderfully slippery Mark Stanley), who is obsessive and sinister; his role in the murder went ignored and unpunished. Bickford cannot – and later will not – deliver what Ellis needs in order for her to live. 'Oh, for God's sake, Ruth, make these people understand what you've been through,' he tells her, in a moment of exasperation. At times, A Cruel Love seems similarly hamstrung and never quite feels as if it gets to know Ellis. Perhaps that is the point. There are no clean lines. As she famously said after her arrest: 'I am guilty. I am rather confused.' It picks up pace towards the end and the final episode is much more cohesive, laying out Ellis's account, Cussens' involvement and the many stages at which her death sentence might have been commuted. But it wades through a lot of murk before it gets there. A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story aired on ITV1 and is on ITVX now
