GUILTY UK - man and woman murdered whilst children in house, Somerset, 2021

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Mrs Marple said:
To be fair the guy might have PTSD or other mental health issues.
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Just like all the family members in court 'could' have been in shock and just wanted to attend to see what was going on?

I'm not getting that vibe from the earlier incident video that was released, but we'll see what comes out at trial. Definitely some soldiers can have difficulties adjusting to civvy life and it can be very hard on them from what they've experienced.
 
www.bbc.co.uk

Jennifer and Stephen Chapple: Man feels 'ashamed' of killing neighbours

Colin Reeves admits the manslaughter of Jennifer and Stephen Chapple but denies their murder.
www.bbc.co.uk


A former soldier who stabbed his neighbours to death with a ceremonial dagger has told a court he feels "ashamed and disgusted" with himself.
Collin Reeves, 35, admits the manslaughter of Stephen and Jennifer Chapple but denies their murder.
He claims he was suffering an abnormality of mental functioning when he killed the married couple in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, on 21 November.
Mr Reeves told the court earlier he did not know why he had killed them.
"I feel ashamed, [and] disgusted with myself after what I've done, taking Stephen and Jennifer's life while their children slept," he said.
"I can't imagine the pain and suffering for their families and friends and their two boys, knowing they can never see their mum
 
Murder is the correct verdict in my opinion. I note it was not established the defendant was suffering from PTSD or another mental condition that might mean manslaughter. The witnesses presented seemed clear on that.

Although there were two victims and their children were in the same home at the time of the killings, and there wasn’t a guilty plea to murder, I don’t think a whole life sentence will be imposed here for some reason, although it’s certainly on the table. But my guess is a sentence at the high range of late 30s in terms of years, as a minimum term.

A very disturbing case and over parking spaces, tragic for the children and I hope they have support around them.
 
Truly shocking and so many lives ripped apart. Such crimes have significant complexity, as to why someone would be driven to such a senseless act. Until society can recognise the early warning signs then we are unable to put in place interventions to divert and prevent many of these terrible outcomes.

I think many feel trapped in their lives and for some their limitations in navigating their way can lead some to address perceived 'major' problems in momentary crazed acts of violence, particularly if fuelled by alcohol or illicit drugs.
 
Yes, I think guilty is the correct verdict. Probably in the region of 20 + years. After all a double murder. PTSD doesn't stop you knowing wrong from right. You would have to have some kind of "Time Out" to lessen the sentence. I don't think they will go for full life term.
 
Rusty Braincells said:
Murder is the correct verdict in my opinion. I note it was not established the defendant was suffering from PTSD or another mental condition that might mean manslaughter. The witnesses presented seemed clear on that.

Although there were two victims and their children were in the same home at the time of the killings, and there wasn’t a guilty plea to murder, I don’t think a whole life sentence will be imposed here for some reason, although it’s certainly on the table. But my guess is a sentence at the high range of late 30s in terms of years, as a minimum term.

A very disturbing case and over parking spaces, tragic for the children and I hope they have support around them.
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I see that Chapple has received a minimum 38 years today. As above, that’s about the number that I had in my head for this given modern sentencing trends. I’m glad at least we are now sentencing murderers much more appropriately than in the 80s and 90s.

Link: Collin Reeves: Ex-soldier jailed for minimum 38 years after murdering his neighbours in Somerset over car parking row
 
Rusty Braincells said:
I see that Chapple has received a minimum 38 years today. As above, that’s about the number that I had in my head for this given modern sentencing trends. I’m glad at least we are now sentencing murderers much more appropriately than in the 80s and 90s.

Link: Collin Reeves: Ex-soldier jailed for minimum 38 years after murdering his neighbours in Somerset over car parking row
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Apologies for putting Chapple as the one sentencer when I meant the Chapples’ murderer, Reeves.

At least he will be in his 70s before he can be considered for release. I don’t think personally it will ever be safe to release a man who can kill two people viciously and orphan two children after “snapping” over a parking dispute.

I suspect he will appeal the sentence, possibly the verdict too. He’ll need better psychological evidence than he had this time for the latter. On the former, he might try and argue they were not “vulnerable” victims etc but the fact is he could have got whole life for a double murder with the aggravating factor of the children in the house at the time. It’s an appropriate sentence that he has received.
 
Whitehall 1212 said:
37 years doesn't appear unduly lenient to me in comparison with other recent sentences.

I don't think such a double killing in these circumstances fits the criteria for imposing a whole life order.

MOO
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I agree. Is there any indication that this man might reoffend after his release? Because that is one of the criteria used when deciding a sentence. A full life term would put him on a footing with Peter Tobin, Rosemary West et al.
 
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