Darlington, 2021

Sophie was mum to two boys. She was bubbly, charming, hardworking. Sophie was also very vulnerable: she had suffered mental health issues after developing postnatal depression, and days before she died had been seriously ill in hospital with liver and kidney infections.

Sophie was killed by Sam Pybus, who had driven drunk to her home and strangled her to death. He had used such force that his hands were “hurting”.

Sam Pybus claimed she had died in consensual strangulation and she had regulary encouraged him to this.

This claim was rejected by both Sophie’s former and current partners. Pybus’s ex wife told police he had a history of strangling her - she felt that police were looking for information to support his story: “If they’d really looked into Sam’s history with women, they would have found abuse, sexual violence and just a complete lack of respect.”

The CPS prosecuted Pybus for manslaughter, Pybus pled guilty at court and was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months.

The Attorney General attempted to appeal the sentence as Unduly Lenient. When this went to the Court of Appeal, we, with the Centre for Women’s Justice and the support of Sam Pybus’ ex wife and Sophie Moss’s children’s dad, attempted to intervene to ensure the court had the latest information on non fatal strangulation harms, and our research on violence claimed to be rough sex. The lead appeal judge rejected our application: agreeing with Pybus’s legal team’s claim that our information was on non-consensual strangulation, but this case - Sophie’s killing - was consensual strangulation.

The Court of Appeal did not increase Sam Pybus’s sentence, with Judge Macur calling Sophie’s strangulation a “risky sexual practice”.

Manslaughter, 4 years 8 months

2019, Switzerland

Anna, from Harrogate, was found dead in a hotel room where she had been staying with her 29 year old boyfriend. She died from suffocation, and had suffered cuts and fractures.

Her boyfriend claimed to police that Anna had died in a sex game gone wrong, and his claim was widely reported in the UK press.

Prosecutors did not believe his claim, and briefed press that “the claim that she died in a sex game was never convincing.”

At court, the Swiss judge rejected his claim that Anna had died in consensual violence, saying Anna “was killed with an intentional act.”

"A death from strangulation is not instantaneous: whoever causes it has time to see what is happening, sees the victim suffocate but does not stop.”

Intentional Homicide, 18 years - Swiss Court

2020, Newry

Patrycja had been due to start a job as an auxiliary nurse. In the week after she was killed, her friends held a memorial walk for her.

She was killed by her partner. He told police he killed her in 'erotic asphyxiation' - a claim repeated in his first court hearing. His defence barrister said that it was a normal part of their sex life, and when Patrycja died “she never gave him such signal to actually stop.”

However, at court he admitted through his barrister that this claim was an “utter lie” and that he had murdered Patrycja. He had been controlling, police had been called to the house several times in their short relationship, and he finally killed her in jealousy over previous partners.

Patrycja’s mother Iwona said “He stole Patrycja’s life just as it was beginning to blossom.”

“I do not forgive him. I never will.”

Murder, 20 years

2018, Auckland, New Zealand

Grace was from Essex, a talented artist, and was in New Zealand as she travelled round the world after her graduation. She was killed on the eve of her 22nd birthday by a 27 year old man she had met on a Tinder date. He claimed at his trial for her murder that she asked him to strangle her. His defence presented, and the UK press repeated, stories of Grace’s internet use and sex life, to support the idea she consented to strangulation. His identity was protected by court order during the trial.

He did not seek medical help for Grace, and after killing her went on a date with another woman. He said to that woman “I heard of this guy who’s partner asked to have rough sex with him involving some sort of strangulation and suffocation but it went wrong and the guy couldn’t revive her and she died. He got done for manslaughter but it was really tough for him to see this woman he loved dying.”

The court also heard some evidence that he had been violent to other women, with one fearing she would die when he suffocated her during sex.

Murder, 17 years

2018, Merthyr Tydfil

Michelle Denise Rosser, 38, is murdered by her partner. He told police her facial injuries (which included a fractured skull, a brain bleed, multiple bruises and grazes) were from sex they'd had the night before. She'd called police 11 times in 2 years to report domestic abuse.

Murder, life, min term 18 years

2018, West Sussex

Christina was killed on her 29th birthday. Zahid Naseem, 48, killed her in an attack of "extraordinary ferocity", hitting her 13 times on the back of her head with a kitchen pestle. He was found by police pretending to be unconscious, when they found Christina's body, and then claimed in court that a "red mist" had descended when he feared she would strangle him in a "sex game gone wrong". He claimed Christina had suggested strangulation to him as "fun" that "she had tried with other clients" as an escort.

Murder, life, min term 19 years

2018, Mumbles

Lesley had a son and a daughter and was looking forward to the birth of a sixth grandchild. Lesley was killed by her husband Derek. On arrest and in court he claimed that they had had an "S&M relationship", that she may have killed herself during sex, that he had strangled her during sex in the past, that he had a temper, that he had strangled his wife in temper before, maybe a couple of times, he had also held her by the throat in the pub.

'Police did not treat her death as suspicious until, one week before she was due to be cremated, Potter told a colleague "I had to strangle her".'

Murder, life, min term 17 years

2018, Hull

Laura is killed by a man she'd just met that day. Jason Gaskell, 24, was charged with murder but admitted manslaughter. He had strangled a woman 11 days before he killed Laura, and was later given a 16 week sentence for that earlier attack. Gaskell held a knife to Laura's neck while having sex - he claimed with her consent - and used mild to moderate force to cut through her carotid artery. The court accepted that Gaskell, the only surviving witness, had not intended to use the knife to kill Laura and was engaged in what the judge called “bizarre and violent sadomasochistic sexual activity”

Manslaughter, 6 years

2017, Aberdeen

Chloe, a student, had been drinking in Aberdeen city centre with friends, and had been thrown out of a nightclub as door staff thought she was too drunk. While waiting at a bus stop, Mark Bruce, 32, approached her and within 2 hours had strangled Chloe to death at his flat.

He claimed it was an accident, although he accepted that he did not get consent from Chloe to choke her. He did not seek medical help for her. The court heard evidence from her previous boyfriend that she’d talked about ‘breath play’, to support the defence’s case that she’d consented. The defence team said Chloe had "somewhat lost her way" and was "experimenting...with drink, drugs and sexual practices”.

Chloe’s father says the sex gone wrong defence was part of an “agreed narrative” between prosecutors and defence as to what happened that night. Her dad said:

“"They used quite a long time to implicate Chloe”

“And that was when all the headlines hit the tabloids. We had to sit through that and listen to that about our little girl."

The man who killed Chloe denied murder and was allowed to plead guilty to culpable homicide - the Scottish equivalent of manslaughter.

In his sentencing hearing, his defence team admitted "there was no conversation between himself and Ms Miazek about violence during sex, there was no discussion and that at no point would she have expected such", and that he had previously strangled a partner in sex.

Culpable Homicide, 6 years

2017, Dudley

Megan Bills was 17 and  met Ashley Foster, 24, hours before he killed her.  After killing her, he hid her body in a cupboard and searched online for ‘snuff films’ and violent pornography. He claimed in court that she asked him to strangle her and that she died accidentally in a sex game gone wrong.

Murder, life, min term 26 years

2017, Edinburgh

Hannah Dorans is strangled by her ex-boyfriend Frazer Neil (25) - with his defence being "Fifty Shades of Grey sex game wrong". The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Hannah had finished the four-year relationship just two weeks before but Neil could not accept she had another partner. He lured her to the flat in February 2017 and sexually assaulted her before strangling her with a cord.

​Murder, life, min term 19 years

2016, Nottinghamshire

Hannah met her killer, James Morton, 24, on the day she died.  She was "heavily intoxicated" when she died, and Morton was sober and was reported as being obsessed with strangulation, frequently watching porn featuring strangulation of women.  Although the judge said Morton had strangled Hannah "without warning or permission", Morton claimed he began to lightly strangle Hannah, which he said she did not object to, before more forcefully strangling her.  He waited 20 minutes after he saw Hannah had stopped breathing to phone 999, and after smashing her phone because it was ringing. The jury cleared him of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter.

Manslaughter, 12 years

2016, Worcestershire

Natalie was mum to a daughter, and a twin sister. Natalie died with vaginal arterial bleeding and severe alcohol and cocaine intoxication at the bottom of the stairs of the home she shared with her partner of a few months, John Broadhurst, 36. Natalie had suffered 40 separate injuries, including serious internal trauma, a fractured eye socket and facial wounds. Broadhurst claimed her injuries, including "dreadful blunt-force injuries to her head, buttocks and breast before spraying her face with bleach to clean off the blood" were from consensual "rough sex". The next morning, he “stepped across her now lifeless body, had breakfast, washed the car and called the emergency services, telling the police and paramedics that she was “dead as a doughnut””.

The Attorney General was asked to intervene in the sentence given to Natalie's killer, he declined. In 2019, Broadhurst attempted to have his sentence reduced further, as he’d been impaired by drink. He failed.

In October 2019, MPs proposed additions to the law, so that this could never happen again. “For years, men got away with murder, claiming, “She asked for it.” Now we have to shut down this modern version of the defence.” and for Natalie:”We will get justice for her in a change in the law.”

Manslaughter, 3 years 8 months

2016, Mallorca, Spain

Lisa died in Spain but was on holiday there visiting her British husband - she lived in Kilburn, North London. Her husband first claimed Lisa had died in a sadomasochistic sex game gone wrong.  He later changed his plea and admitted strangling his wife with a phone cable.  He was found guilty of a lesser charge than murder in a Spanish court.  Their grown up daughter gave evidence in court that her mother had been a victim of violence and threats from her father.

Homicide (Spanish court) 12 years

2016, Northampton

India, 20, wanted to be a paramedic. She had been drinking with friends and had become separated from them outside a nightclub. She was approached by Edward Tenniswood, 52, who she had not previously met, and who led her back to his home and killed her. In his trial for her rape and murder, he claimed she had died accidentally in 'his overeagnerness to please her'. Like most of the other women on this page, India's killer's story that she had died during a consensual kinky sex session were widely and robotically repeated in news reports. Her killer was convicted of both rape and murder of India, and sentenced to 12 years concurrently for her rape. Tenniswood had been arrested for another rape 11 days before killing India, but had no previous convictions.

Murder, life, 30 years

2015, Herts

Katie Locke, 23, was a history teacher, from Essex. Katie was strangled on her first date with Carl Langdell, after meeting him on dating site Plenty of Fish. Carl Langdell sexually assaulted her dead body before dumping her in a bush, in the early hours of Christmas Eve. He had admitted the murder to his mother, saying he had strangled Katie in a sex game which went wrong.

Murder, life, min term 26 years

2015, North London

Marta was killed by her previously violent, “obsessively jealous, controlling” boyfriend Thomas Kocik, 38. In his defence he claimed he found his girlfriend dead at their flat after days of amphetamine fuelled bondage sex sessions. He claimed in court that he and Marta regularly engaged in bondage. Marta was found to have been severely beaten before her death. Kocik dumped her body in a suitcase in the Regent's Canal.

Murder, life, min term 18 years 6 months

2014, Hull

Man cleared of all charges after being  charged with the manslaughter and violent injury of his cousin, Dawn Warburton, during a "sex game gone wrong."  Mark Pickford, 39, was charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and assault.  Pickford had sent Dawn a string of sexually violent texts including "You’re getting tied up, I will treat you like a random victim, gonna do you Manchester style".  Dawn was found above a bloodstained bed, with Pickford’s tow rope tied several times round her neck and thirty injuries to her face and neck.​

Not guilty

2014, Southampton

Belinda had a sister, who described her as “bubbly” and the “life and soul”.

Her boyfriend, Jamie Nicholson, 30, is arrested after walking into a police station and confessing to the murder of Belinda during what press reported as a “night of passion”.

Police then found Belinda’s body with a computer cord knotted around her neck. In initial court hearings, Nicholson’s defence barrister claimed there had been a sex game involving the ligature.

However, the murder charge was dropped when the Home Office pathologist reported that Belinda had died from a drug overdose, which the prosecution believed had been self inflicted.

The CPS was asked if they wanted to pursue further charges, particularly on the ligature around Belinda’s neck, but having considered it they said it was “not thought appropriate”.

All charges dropped

2013, Cambridgeshire

Virginja was a mum.  She had just met Dainotas Doblys, 48, who had responded to her dating ad.  They drank together, and booked a hotel room.

Doblys plead not guilty to her rape and murder, and in sentencing the Judge said to him:"You were a florid liar in your dealings with the police, painting a bogus picture of athletic yet entirely consensual prolonged bouts of sexual intercourse".

Doblys was found guilty of two counts of rape - she was "semi-conscious or unconscious and therefore incapable of consent" - and not guilty of murder.   Virjinja died of "suffocation in conjunction with severe alcohol intoxication", and had suffered "shocking wounds to the intimate parts of her body.".  She was found in a pool of blood on the floor of the hotel room.

​Doblys also received two 11-year sentences for the two counts of rape.

​Manslaughter, Extended Sentence, 16 years, with 4 years on licence

2012, Kent

Jennie was a much loved middle sister.

She was killed by her friend Marcus Coates, 44. He had tightened a belt around her neck, and he left her body to be found 5 days later.

Coates had claimed she asked him to put the belt around her neck and she pulled it tight during sexual activity.

He had previously been jailed for 5 years for the sexual assault of a woman in front of her child, having slashed the woman with a knife.

Coates was found not guilty of Jennie’s murder, but guilty of manslaughter, and was sentenced under an indeterminate sentence, for public protection, for at least 7 years 6 months.

Manslaughter, 7 years 6 months

2011, Sheffield

Lee was killed by her ex partner Alexander Burnett, 32. Lee had been strangled and stabbed in the throat.

Burnett claimed that he would often strangle her, during sex, and that Lee had asked him to hold the knife to her neck during sex. He “had feared that nobody would have believed what had happened.” A pathologist gave evidence that Lee’s strangulation injuries were consistent with “sex play”. Despite this, the judge felt there was “manifest, deliberate and chilling intent to kill”.

Burnett had previous convictions for assaulting Lee, as well as for GBH. After stabbing her he “watched her die” over several hours.

Murder, life, min term 22 years

2011, Lancashire

Anna was a classroom assistant in Colne, Lancashire. She was killed by her boyfriend of four months, Daniel Lancaster, 25.

Their relationship was described as "obsessive" and he apparently admitted murdering her to a cellmate, but denied murder in court and admitted manslaughter "after claiming Anna Banks, 23, enjoyed being throttled during intercourse." "There were marks around her throat and dried blood on her face. It is believed her body had been there for at least 24 hours." He as found not guilty of her murder by a jury, but admitted manslaughter as part of "a sex game gone wrong."

Manslaughter, 4 years

2011, Birmingham

Michelle was strangled with a dog lead and found in Sheldon country park. She was killed by a man she had been a six week relationship with, who claimed that she had asked him to strangle her with the dog lead in the woods and that her death had been an accident in a “sex game gone wrong”.  David Connors, 38, changed his story multiple times.

Murder, life, min term 22 years

2011, Bournemouth

Julie was a teaching assistant. Julie's ex partner killed her. Alan Pickersgill claimed she'd throttled herself in a bondage sex game gone wrong. He became "dangerously obsessed" with her after she ended the relationship - including installing a tracking device in Julie’s car.

Murder, life, min term 19 years

2010, Liverpool

Vicky was “a tall, blond, 25-year-old newlywed who worked as an account manager and who could calculate a balance sheet or assemble a wardrobe without breaking a sweat.”

Vicky's husband of 6 months, Michael Roberts, insisted he accidentally killed Vicky during a kinky sex game gone wrong, when he applied too much pressure to her neck with a dressing gown cord. Roberts, then 27, had hidden her body after killing her, and the court heard he had had numerous affairs. Vicky had found out that he’d been cheating on her, and had given him a deadline which fell on the weekend he killed her.

Vicky's family have since spoken of the terrible effect on them of Vicky’s murder. Her sister says: “He took away Vicky, her choices, her chances, her future. And then he took her dignity. Even now, it’s the ‘sex game gone wrong’ that gets focused on. Even though it was disproved, it’s always going to be there.”

Murder, life, min term 17 years

2010, Yorkshire

Kerry was a beauty therapist and mum.  Her partner, Jason O'Malley, 39, "insecure, suspicious, jealous, possessive and prone to violent outbursts" strangled Kerry and "told officers when arrested that the beauty therapist encouraged him to apply 'a little bit of pressure' and they had done it six or seven times in sex sessions - although he didn't like doing it".  He had applied "considerable force" to kill her.

 Murder, life, min term 15 years

2010, Oxfordshire

Lisa is killed by her partner. Sean Freaney, 51, first claimed that he'd strangled her when sleepwalking, then changed his story to a "sex game gone wrong" - he claimed in court that their sex life had been “very very rough”.

Murder, life, min term 14 years

2009, West Lothian

Carol is killed by her husband Harry Jarvis, by "means unknown" . He is reported to have told police that she died in a "sex game gone wrong", and claimed in court that Carol had died after she had asked him to strangle her. He and Ruth Hester, with whom he was having a relationship, were charged with murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.  Ruth was found guilty only of defeating the ends of justice.

Murder, life, min term 15 years

2007, Ipswich

Nicola was a distribution manager for a hospice.  Two men claim Nicola had asked to be strangled to heighten her pleasure and that she died, in a car, in a sex game gone wrong.  Nicola had just met John McCarry, 37, in a pub.

Murder, life for both

2006, Ipswich

Paula was mum to 3 children. She had spiralled into prostitution and homelessness after becoming addicted to crack cocaine and heroin. She was murdered by Steve Wright, 49, who claimed that Paula had died in a masochistic sex game. The prosecution were able to present a pathologist whose evidence discredited this claim. Steve Wright was sentenced for the murder of 5 women, including Paula, all of whom were prostitutes, and he may have killed more women.

Murder, life, whole life term

2006, Redditch

Naomi was a prison officer, her family said she was “the happiest we'd seen her in years, a life on track and a new future to look forward to”. She was killed by her 18 year old neighbour, Matthew Doman, reported in the Redditch advertiser as "a skilled liar, Doman invented a story that Miss Phipps had died accidentally during a biazarre practice to restrict breathing and intensify love-making." He claimed she had asked him to put a plastic bag over her head during sex. He had battered her and suffocated her with the bag.

Murder, life, min term 20 years

2003, Surrey

Una was a care assistant and was fun and outgoing. She was killed by her partner, Lee Portwine, 38.

Their relationship was violent and she had “frequently been seen with black eyes”. He had previously been jailed for violence. After killing Una, he left her body in the woods in the grounds of a hotel where they had been attending a wedding.

That evening Una was drunk and having difficulty walking. A friend had tried to help her to the ladies toilets - Portwine tried to stop her, entered the toilets, pulled a serrated knife out and was heard shouting at Una. Portwine and Una then left the hotel building.

Una’s body was found the next day. Portwine plead guilty to her murder. He said that he had asphyxiated Una and inserted mud into her vagina and mouth with her consent - “in order to heighten her sexual pleasure”. He then headbutted her when she protested in discomfort. She had died from head injuries and asphyxiation - her throat was blocked by mud.

Portwine’s sentence was reduced on appeal from 16 years to 12 years as the original sentence might have reflected the sexual violence against Una as an aggravating factor. The appeal judges were persuaded that all sexual activity, including asphyxiation and insertion of mud into her, was consensual. They also accepted in mitigation that Portwine had no intention to kill Una.

Murder, 12 years on appeal

2003, Brighton and Hove

Jane was a teacher and classical musician living in Brighton.  After her death, Jane's mum, Liz, and sister Sue successfully campaigned to have some types of extreme pornography banned in the UK.

Jane was killed by her best friend's boyfriend, who had had "sexually arousing" "murderous thoughts" about women since the age of 15, and who had been viewing asphyxial sex and strangulation images online over 8 years. 

'Graham Coutts killed the teacher to "satisfy a bizarre and macabre fantasy" after spending hours viewing images of women being strangled and raped'.  Coutts, 35, was described in court as having an "obsession" with violent pornography, including 'websites specialising in rape, necrophilia and female asphyxiation.'  Coutt's previous partners said that he had strangled them whilst having sex. When asked why she consented to this, one said "I was in love with him. I wanted to make him happy."

Coutts strangled Jane with a pair of tights whilst masturbating over her body.  He hid her body for 5 weeks and regularly visited it.  After first visiting her body he downloaded images of a woman being strangled to death.

Coutts claimed that Jane had died accidentally during consensual strangulation sex. A colleague gave evidence that Jane had years previously said she'd engaged in breath control during sex.

Murder, life, min term 26 years

2003, London

Sonia was from Argentina, and we have not yet been able to find her full name.

“Surgeon to the stars” Graham Belham, who died in 2010, was arrested when she was found dead.

Belham was “arrested on suspicion of murder after a prostitute was found dead with a bag over her head. Mr Belham was released without charge and a coroner ruled it could have been suicide or a sex game gone wrong”.

“In November 2003 Belham met Argentine prostitute Sonia online. He was arrested and kept in a cell overnight after her death before being released without charge.”

No charges brought

2002, Northampton

Lorna is killed by her boyfriend Andrew Murray, convicted of rape and murder, with his friend Carl Stokes acquitted of murder and rape and later convicted of false imprisonment. Murray and Stokes kidnapped Lorna and tied her to a bed. Stokes claimed he was tricked into a bondage and rape sex game gone wrong, and "I didn't know she was in any danger. I had no reason to distrust Murray". 

Murder, life, min term 14 years

2002, Camden, London

Elizabeth was from Nottingham and was mum to a daughter. She was murdered by Anthony Hardy. Hardy had previously murdered Sally White, but Sally’s death was ruled as being from natural causes. Elizabeth’s dismembered body was found with Brigitte Maclennan’s in a bin near Hardy’s home. All three women met Hardy when working as prostitutes in the King’s Cross red light district.

Hardy had stalked and attempted to kill his wife and was a suspect in three rapes. Described as “pornography-obsessed”, Hardy claimed he had killed Sally, Elizabeth and Brigitte by accident as part of a bondage sex game - but at court admitted murdering them, and received three life sentences. He is suspected to have killed two other women.

Murder, life

2002, Camden, London

Brigitte was originally from New Zealand, and was mum to two sons. She was murdered by Anthony Hardy. Hardy had previously murdered Sally White, but Sally’s death was ruled as being from natural causes. Elizabeth’s dismembered body was found with Elizabeth Valad’s in a bin near Hardy’s home. All three women met Hardy when working as prostitutes in the King’s Cross red light district.

Hardy had stalked and attempted to kill his wife and was a suspect in three rapes. Described as “pornography-obsessed”, Hardy claimed he had killed Sally, Elizabeth and Brigitte by accident as part of a bondage sex game - but at court admitted murdering them, and received three life sentences. He is suspected to have killed two other women.

Murder, life

2002, Camden, London

Sally was murdered by Anthony Hardy, her neighbour. The pathologist on the case was later disciplined for deciding Sally had not died in suspicious circumstances , despite blood on her clothes, the bedding and wall, with injuries on her head and body; despite her being found by accident by police, locked in a room in the home of a man who had a history of stalking and violence against women, who was a suspect in three rapes and who had recently been arrested. Sally was supposed to have died by “blocked arteries and shock generated by rough sex.”. The coroner was not told of the suspicious circumstances and so ruled the death was from natural causes. The police were then unable to investigate her death further.

Hardy went on to kill Elizabeth Valad, 29 and Brigette MacClennan, 34. He claimed he had killed all three women by accident as part of a sex game - but at court admitted murdering them, and received three life sentences.

Murder, life

2001, Wiltshire 

Gill is killed by her partner Darren Maslen, at their home in Market Lavington.  He told the "court that she died after a kinky sex session went disastrously wrong".  He claimed in court that they enjoyed regular "rough sex" sessions.

Gill had extensive injuries to her face, head and "pelvic area and internal organs required a significant degree of force and the use of a blunt instrument or instruments, or a fist. It was the shock and blood loss arising from these injuries that were the main cause of her death."  Maslen had also used a stun gun to incapacitate her.

Gill had taken high dose of ecstacy and a possibly lethal dose of a sedative dothiepin.  The court heard that she did not take drugs, and that she'd suspected that her partner had been drugging her previously.

Maslen had fully inserted a bottle of liqueur into Gill's vagina, and a vibrator in her anus, he claimed all at her request. Her "vagina had been ripped open all the way up and the cervix at the bottom of the uterus was extensively bruised.  Her anus had been torn apart".  She bled for many hours on the living room floor and he made no attempt to seek help.  He did attempt to clean up the bloodstained bottles and carpet, as she was dying or dead.

In sentencing, the judge took account of the lack of intent to kill Gill.

Murder, life, min term 18 years

2001, London

Hyo Jung was from South Korea and was studying French language in Lyon, and whilst visiting London was killed by Kim Kyu Soo, 31, who ran a guesthouse.

Her body was found in a suitcase near York and she had been bound with tape.

Kim was convicted of her murder and the murder of Song In Hea.  Kim was reported to have used the defence "that the women died after a bondage sex game went terribly wrong" 

Murder, life sentence for each murder

2001, London

In Hea was from South Korea and was studying hotel management at Guildhall University in London. Shewas killed by Kim Kyu Soo, 31, who ran a guesthouse.

Her body was found in a cupboard and she had been bound with tape.

Kim was convicted of her murder and the murder of Jin Hyo Jung. Kim was reported to have used the defence "that the women died after a bondage sex game went terribly wrong"

Murder, life sentence for each murder

2001, South Shields

Jacqueline was mum to three children and was killed by her husband Norman. Although they had been due to split up on the day of her death after a series of rows, Jacqueline was strangled by her husband with a length of washing line in what was reported as "an alleged sex game " during "one last passionate session" . The prosecution refused to accept his guilty plea to manslaughter. The court heard Norman had been planning to abduct the couple's sons.

Murder, life, min term 12 years

2001, Staffordshire

Kerry was a music teacher, and mum of three, and was killed by her husband Mark, then 42.

He told detectives she “fell to her death through the floor of their loft during a sex game” and that marks found on her neck “could have been caused by erotic-asphyxiation.” The court heard much detail from Mark Goddard on their alleged sex life. The crime scene officer first marked her death as a “sad accident”.

Murder, Life

2000, Aberdeenshire

Mandy, whose married name was Mandy McDonald, was killed by her husband Niall McDonald, 35.

He claimed that Mandy had died when a sex act went wrong. Defending, Donald Finlay QC said that the incident which led to the death of Mrs McDonald was a "private matter" and that this was sex that "narrow-minded people would call kinky".  Mandy - who was 4ft 10 - was found 6 days after her death where her husband had hidden her body, in woods nearby.  She had suffered injuries to her face, neck, external lacerations to her genitals and her bowel was perforated through her anus.  She died of severe rectal injuries and asphyxia.

Her husband was financially and emotionally abusive to her before her death.  He was also convicted of defeating the ends of justice.

Culpable Homicide, 4 years

1999, Portsmouth

Kerry was a barmaid.  She was killed by her new boyfriend, Richard Tait, 30, who was on licence following a sentence for raping and attempting to murder his previous wife by strangling her.  Kerry was said to have known about his previous conviction.

​Kerry “was gagged with parcel tape and had suffered a fractured larynx, a ruptured liver and severe bruising to her face.” She was killed after a New Year’s Eve party.

“Tait told his trial Miss Scott had asked him to asphyxiate her during a sex game and said he struck out at her body when he was unable to revive her.”

The judge described him as “an extraordinarily dangerous young man”

Murder, life

1998, County Tyrone

Sylvia was a care worker and was pregnant when she was killed. She was killed by her boyfriend , Stephen Scott, then 28, “was known in the area as a "Jack the lad". He was also said “to have a liking for violent sex.”

Scott claimed Sylvia “died in a sex game that went wrong” and that “she had consented to being tied to his bed with ropes, gagged and injected with insulin.” He dismembered her body before hiding it in the foundations of a house.

Murder, Life sentence, served 19 years (now released)

1997, Armagh

Janet was mum to four children. She’d previously been in the British Army and had lived in England and Hong Kong. She had just met the man who killed her, at a disco. David Eric Porter, 23, strangled her. Appallingly, Janet was found by her daughter.

The Judge accepted Porter’s claim that she had died accidentally, in what the Judge called "deviant sexual behaviour". He accepted Porter did not intend to cause her death. Porter’s guilty plea to manslaughter was accepted.

Manslaughter, 5 years

c.1995, London

On the day she was killed, Margaret had visited her terminally ill boyfriend in hospital. She'd then drunk with an 'old friend' - 53 year old George Charles. While Margaret was in "a comatose state", the 'friend' had sex with her - this being 1995, it seems the news reporting needed no consideration of her inability to consent - & suffocated her.

The Judge said: 'I am entirely satisfied, as was the jury, that there was no intention to cause serious injury'.

Manslaughter, 5 years

1993, Staffordshire

Tracey, who had a 19 month old daughter, was found in a roadside ditch.  Her husband Steve, 31, had killed her and initially tried to make her death look like a robbery gone wrong.  Police found he had hidden her wedding rings in a packet of Daz, and when arrested he claimed she had died in a bondage sex act gone wrong - he told police that "It was an accident. She liked being tied up but we went too far".

Murder, life

1991, Hastings

Honor was killed by her boyfriend, Stuart Williamson. He claimed, - and it was accepted by the court- that she died in “consensual practice aimed at giving pleasure.” Honor had been asphyxiated. His previous convictions included, for violence: wounding with intent; common assault; assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault on the police.

He appealed his sentence of 4 years, and the judges agreed this “unique” case should have a shorter sentence. They did think it “perfectly clear” to anyone indulging in such activity that it was dangerous and should there be a death, would be “very likely to receive a substantial sentence of imprisonment in the future.”

Released after 15 months, Stuart Williamson was violently abusive to another partner, and 1 year later stabbed his mother, 47 year old Audrey Fisher, to death at her home. He was committed to Broadmoor.

Manslaughter, 3 years (on appeal)

1990, Leeds

Janet was killed with a snooker cue whilst tied to her bed in a "sickening" assault in her own home, while her boyfriend was out on his milk round.  Janet died from internal injuries and after being whipped.  Kenneth Anness - then 36 - claimed in court that he had killed her in a sex game gone wrong and was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.  Despite having previous convictions for sexual offences the Judge said the jury had found that Anness had not intended to commit serious harm to Janet and sentenced him to seven years. 

Five years later in Bradford and having changed his name to Kenneth Valentine, he had murdered 25 year old Caroline Creevy and dumped her body in a culvert.  When arrested for this, another woman was found imprisoned in his flat.  Both Caroline and the imprisoned woman were prostitutes.  For this murder Anness/Valentine received a life sentence with 22 year minimum term.  Valentine was friends with and neighbour of Stephen Griffiths - a man known as the "Crossbow Cannibal" and while neighbours, both murdered local women.

Manslaughter, 7 years

1984, Tyne and Wear

Lorraine was asphyxiated in what her husband Trevor claimed was an accident, "during a bondage sex session". He said it was her idea to be gagged, it “was always her idea”.

Lorraine had spoken with a solicitor's clerk before her killing, to arrange a divorce, to take out a County Court injunction to prevent her husband molesting her. Lorraine said Trevor was violent to her, forced her into degrading sex, and that “ she was scared of him”. A few weeks later, after ending the relationship, Lorraine was dead.

The coroner ruled that Lorraine had been unlawfuly killed after "Lorraine had been bound and gagged by her husband" - and that her husband should face charges of manslaughter (the coroner said he didn't believe that Trevor intended her to die).

Despite this, and despite pleas from Lorraine's grandmother Diane and their MP, the Director for Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General declined to bring charges against Lorraine's husband.

In 1985 Lorraine's grandmother said: “I feel very bitter and very let down by the law.”

“What really upsets us is the assassination of Lorraine's good name.”

No charges brought

1982, Co. Durham

Dorothy was from Easterhouse in Glasgow, and met the man who killed her by responding to a lonely hearts ad. Vincent Mulholland, then 27, was in Rampton secure hospital when he placed the advert. He had been in Rampton since chloroforming and attempting to rape a woman on a train in Germany. He - according to evidence given - killed Dorothy in a “kinky sex session” by tying “tights round her neck during lovemaking”. Although found not guilty of murder, he was convicted of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. As part of this sentence, Mulholland was a reserved patient of the secure hospital - who could not be released without the permission of the Home Secretary.

Manslaughter, diminished responsibility, 12 years

1980, Walthamstow

Pat, from Middlesborough - described by her step-brother as “happy go lucky, and “the kind of girl who would decide to do something and no one would be able to stop her” is killed by Peter Swindell, 40, a policeman. Pat was a prostitute at Kings Cross and may have moved to London to avoid the Yorkshire Ripper. She was a lesbian and was described in news reports as “Butch Pat” and “heavily tattooed with the names of her former female lovers”.

The court heard that Swindell was "a man obsessed with bondage" and that bondage pornography was found at his home, including photos he had taken of women feigning death in nooses. One woman, who had been going out with Swindell, spent a "night of fear" in his home when she was late to meet him: he tied her to a cross and put a hood over her head, before leaving her overnight. Described as “a respectable woman and not a prostitute”, he had shouted at her “this will teach you to let me down and refuse to marry me”.

Pat’s cause of death was not established although it was likely she suffocated. Swindell’s defence was that she may have died of heart failure while tied up. Swindell dismembered Pat's body in the bath, and hid her remains, wrapped in plastic, in Epping Forest. He was not charged with murder as the Director of Public Prosecutions said the evidence did not reveal an intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to Pat.

Swindell was cleared of manslaughter and sentenced to five years, later reduced on appeal, for preventing the burial of Pat's body.

Not guilty

1979, South Shields

Vivien is strangled by John Dudgeon (aka John Taylor) "when he was a 21-year old DJ in his home town, he suffocated 19-year old Vivienne [sic] Scott, who had refused him sex." Taylor dumped her body, wrapped in rope, plastic and a piece of carpet near his home "and later claimed her death was the result of a prank which had gone wrong during a sex game." Taylor said “I thought she was enjoying the whole thing”. He had asphyxiated her for six minutes.

The judge said Vivien died after "horseplay". Dudgeon's defence QC said "his mistake was not seeking help when Vivien had died, if he had he would probably not even been on trial for manslaughter."

Seventeen months after release, Dudgeon went on to rape and attempt to murder a woman in her home, and a few months after release from a sentence for that crime, murder a woman in the "Sheffield Snooker Hall" murder, where he broke Susan McNamara's neck and then strangled her.

Manslaughter, 4 years

1972, Norfolk

Carole, described as “charming and loveable” had an 8-year old daughter. Carole was killed by her partner, Peter Drinkwater, 38.

He injected her with 5 anaesthetics as a part of - he claimed - “erotic practices” “at her request”, because of the pain caused by “these practices”, which he photographed. The judge was convinced he took the staged pornographic photos as she lay dying.

Her death was reported as “perverted sex”, “sexplay killing”, that she had died during “sexual malpractices”. Drinkwater told the court of her “perverted sexual desires”. At first he claimed she had killed herself.

Drinkwater had three previous convictions for dangerous driving, including one where he had killed a man; his previous wife had divorced him due to “cruelty” including regular violent assaults; he punched a man who was driving, causing a serious crash. Carole’s parents said when she met Drinkwater “everything started to go wrong, we tried to stop her seeing him but she seemed to be in his power”.

Carole had been planning to leave him. He was cleared of murder.

Manslaughter, 12 years