Provocation: law at time of trial relevant: R v Ellis (Ruth) [2003] EWCA Crim 3556, [2003] All ER (D) 134 (Dec)

This was the case, notorious in all senses of the word, of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK. In 1955, Ellis and her victim, David Blakely, were in a volatile relationship. He had been engaged to another woman, but had broken this off and proposed to the defendant, with whom he lived during the working week. She had an affair with another man and suspected the victim also of having an affair. The victim was violent towards Ellis and had bruised her on many occasions, the last time being two weeks before the killing took place. This assault consisted of punches to the defendant’s stomach, causing her to miscarry.