Edith Thompson: Hanged woman's case denied pardon bid

BBC ^ | February 28, 2024 | Tim Stokes

[lowbridge]

The case of a woman hanged over 100 years ago for the murder of her husband does not meet the requirements for a royal pardon, a commission has ruled.

Edith Thompson, 29, was found guilty of murdering Percy Thompson after he was fatally stabbed by her lover Frederick Bywaters in east London in 1922.

The review panel found that while her trial may not now be considered fair, there was no new evidence available.

Edith Thompson's heir and executor said he was "looking at all options".

Edith and Percy Thompson, 32, were returning to their home in Ilford after a night at the theatre on 3 October 1922 when he was stabbed to death by 20-year-old Freddy.

While investigating the case, police discovered letters revealing an affair between Edith and her husband's killer, turning the case into a huge public sensation.

Despite there being little evidence against her and the insistence of Bywaters that she played no part in her husband's death, both were found guilty of murder and executed at separate London prisons on 9 January 1923.

Numerous publications and programmes have been made about it since with questions about the fairness of Edith's trial, particularly in the inclusion of her letters as evidence despite them having no connection to the murder, as well as the conduct of the judge who repeatedly interjected on the side of the prosecution.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) was asked to re-examine the case by then-justice secretary Dominic Raab following an application for a posthumous pardon by a firm of solicitors on behalf of Prof René Weis, Edith's heir and executor.

Releasing its findings nearly a year on, the CCRC concluded the case "is not made out for the granting of a royal pardon".

[lowbridge]

Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Thompson_and_Frederick_Bywaters

[PAR35]

I saw the headline and thought it was going to be the daily ‘Executed Today’ thread.

[SamuraiScot]

Edith and Percy Thompson, 32, were returning to their home in Ilford after a night at the theatre on 3 October 1922 when he was stabbed to death by 20-year-old Freddy. and the insistence of Bywaters that she played no part in her husband's death

Oh yeah, I see! It must have been a simple coincidence that Freddy knew exactly when to slip into the house with the knife, ready and waiting for their return from the theater when hubby would have his guard down, probably half-drunk from drinks afterwards at the pleading of the Mrs.

So, she had a real swingin' time in the end.

[lowbridge]

Actually, the attack took place outside the house and being a tennant of theirs, he was pretty familiar with his victims routine.