GUILTY UK - Ellie Gould, 17, murdered, Calne, Wiltshire, 3 May 2019 *Arrest*

[imstilla.grandma]

But school friends told the MailOnline that when Ellie said she was "too busy" for a relationship, he attacked her.


"There just wasn't time, and she told Thomas this. She wanted to remain friends but cool their friendship.

"She had told him that they would see each other every day at school – but obviously it was not enough.

"He went round to see her and we all know what happened," said a source.

A source close to Griffiths said that the 17-year-old was also depressed after his dad, Sean, was diagnosed with cancer.
Boy, 17, knifed teen to death 'after she refused to go out with him'

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Gran of murdered A Level student says killer, 17, 'will get his comeuppance'

 

[Legally Bland]

Thomas Griffiths admitted murdering 17-year-old Ellie Gould at her home in Calne, Wiltshire, in May, when she ended their relationship.

[...]

Griffiths is being sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.

Teen murdered girlfriend after she dumped him

 

[Legally Bland]

Bristol Crown Court 1 T20197141
Thomas Griffiths
Details: For Sentence - Case Started - 10:15
For Sentence - Case adjourned until 11:25 - 11:09

Bristol Crown Court Case Listings, Daily Hearings, Archives, Records & Status Details

 

[Legally Bland]

The packed courtroom heard the night before Griffiths murdered her, Ellie had told friends they had broken up and he had "not taken it well".

The pair were pupils at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, had known each other since Year 7, and been in a relationship for three months.

Griffiths walked out of school on the morning of 3 May and drove to Ellie's home in Springfield Drive.

There he attempted to strangle her, before stabbing her repeatedly in the neck with a knife taken from the kitchen.

[...]

Evidence suggested Griffiths had put Ellie's hand on the weapon to make it look like she had done it to herself.

The court heard Griffiths spent an hour at the house before he drove home, changed his clothes, and dumped a bag of items taken from Ellie's house in a wood.

Later that day he sent a series of "fake" messages to friends and to Ellie's mobile phone asking if she wanted to meet.

Griffiths also told friend marks on his neck were caused by self-harm but the court heard they most likely caused by his "young victim fighting for her life".

Teen murdered girlfriend after she dumped him

 

[Legally Bland]

The 17-year-old girl’s family remained stony-faced as presiding judge Mr Justice Garnham sentenced Griffiths, now 18, to life imprisonment.

He must serve at least 12 years and six months of his life sentence.

[...]

In a victim personal statement read to the court, mum Carol said: “No mother should ever have to hold the cold hand of a murdered child. Her brutal end plays on my mind constantly.”

Ellie’s dad, Matthew, who found his daughter’s body, said the girl’s death had left him feeling helpless, empty and bitter.

Summarising Mr Gould’s statement, prosecutor Richard Smith QC said: “He simply can’t find the words to express the anguish it has brought on his family.”


Mr Smith said: “Eleanor was a bright, intelligent young lady who had a promising future ahead of her.

“She is variously described as having been a kind, loving and amusing young girl.

“She had a bubbly, beautiful nature. She was funny and intelligent both in and out of her academic studies.”

Ellie Gould's killer must serve at least 12-and-a-half years of life sentence

BBM.

 

[Sarahlou]

Pathetic sentence. That's really annoyed me, so I can't imagine how her family feel.

 

[Legally Bland]

Mrs Gould said Ellie was not looking for a serious relationship but Griffiths was. Shortly before her death, his behaviour changed.

"It was only in the last week that she (Ellie) began to spot some signs," Mrs Gould said. "She said that he'd been acting very strange.

"I said to her 'what are you going to do?' and she said 'don't worry Mum, I'll sort it'.

"Little did we know he was going to turn up the next day and do what he did."

It was a phone call from Mrs Gould's husband Matthew that alerted her to the horrific events of Friday 3 May.

He had come home from work to find Ellie fatally wounded on the kitchen floor.

"I could tell from his voice he was absolutely hysterical," said Mrs Gould. "I was thinking 'what on earth has happened?'

"As I was coming through Calne, a police car was trying to weave through the traffic and I thought to myself 'that's nothing to do with us, is it?'."

It was, and nothing could prepare Ellie's mother for the scene outside the family home in Springfield Drive.

"There were police cars abandoned everywhere, an ambulance at the end of the drive, and Matt just sobbing."

As the stunned couple took in the fact Ellie was dead, officers asked them if their daughter had a boyfriend.

Yes, replied Mrs Gould - but she explained to them how devoted Griffiths was. "He wouldn't harm her," were her words.

But he had.

Within hours, police told Ellie's parents her death was being treated as murder.

"At that point I just felt like I'd been thrown against a wall," said Mrs Gould.

"We both said she didn't have any enemies. Who on earth would want to murder her?"

It was not long before the couple realised Griffiths was the main suspect.

"There was just disbelief that he would do that, and why?"

Ellie Gould's killer 'should never be released'

 

[Alyce]

12 years ! absolutely nothing - he will be out and about, living his life before he's 30.

 

[Legally Bland]

Pathetic sentence. That's really annoyed me, so I can't imagine how her family feel.

12 years ! absolutely nothing - he will be out and about, living his life before he's 30.

Totally agree. I appreciate he probably has the maximum amount of mitigation but it really doesn't seem appropriate.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Why does this life sentence allow parole after half the time served? Is it because he was under age when it happened?

 

[Legally Bland]

Why does this life sentence allow parole after half the time served? Is it because he was under age when it happened?

It's a minimum of 12.5 years, but I thought I read half the sentence too at first.

A teenager who stabbed his 17-year-old girlfriend to death in a "brutal" and "horrific" murder has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years and six months.

Ellie Gould: Teenager jailed for murdering 17-year-old girlfriend

 

[jaejae]

Here is a BBC report about this case:

Ellie Gould's killer 'should never be released'

 

[Sarahlou]

Here is a BBC report about this case:

Ellie Gould's killer 'should never be released'

She's absolutely right. He will always be a danger to women. I would not be surprised in the slightest if he murders again after being released.

 

[Kasmeer]

Terrible sentence, I guess his age had something to do with it but it's not like he was 15; 17 is near enough to adulthood to get closer to an adult sentence IMO. As it is, he'll be out in his 20s and ready to do the same to some other poor girl who dares to exercise her right to leave a relationship. I can understand short sentences in younger children, who may well have some chance of rehabilitation, but at his age, and with the motivation which we've all seen over and over... where's the likelihood of change in this one?

 

[Droosie]

Terrible sentence. My guess is the judge gave the sentence he could under current guidelines given the age of he perpetrator. However he has to prove he is no longer a danger before he will be released. They can and do refuse parole to people s felt the risk to society is too great.

 

[Legally Bland]

The friends of a teenager who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend are campaigning for self-defence lessons to be taught in schools.

Ellie Gould, 17, was killed by Thomas Griffiths who was jailed for life for her murder in November.

Her friend Tilda Offen said if Ellie had "just known the simplest technique to get him off her she would still have her life".

Murdered girl's friends want self-defence lessons

 

[RobinCAL]

This is so heartbreaking!!! Poor girl and her family. I wish the sentence was better!!

 

[Sarahlou]

The friends of a teenager who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend are campaigning for self-defence lessons to be taught in schools.

Ellie Gould, 17, was killed by Thomas Griffiths who was jailed for life for her murder in November.

Her friend Tilda Offen said if Ellie had "just known the simplest technique to get him off her she would still have her life".

Murdered girl's friends want self-defence lessons

I know they mean well, but if only it was that simple.
I do think self defence lessons are important though.

 

[Kasmeer]

Ellie's Law: Parents of murdered girl win sentencing fight

A mother who fought to change the law around murder says her daughter would be "very proud".

Announced on Tuesday, Ellie's Law, named after Wiltshire teenager Ellie Gould, means teenage killers could face sentences of up to 27 years.

Ellie was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend Thomas Griffiths in May 2019.

...

Although he was 18 by the time he was sentenced to a minimum of 12-and-a-half years in prison, his age at the time of the crime was a factor in the minimum jail term he could face.

...

"Under the new law he would have a starting point of a minimum of 14 years," said Mrs Gould.

Justice overhaul to better protect the public and back our police

For children who commit murder, introducing new starting points for deciding the minimum amount of time in custody based on age and seriousness of offence, and reducing the opportunities for over 18s who committed murder as a child to have their minimum term reviewed.