Court of Appeal allows extension of time to appeal against historic conviction for murder

On 25 July 2025, at a renewed application for leave to appeal, the court allowed an extension of 8 years and referred the appeal to the full court to consider fresh psychiatric evidence and social service records. 

Annabel Timan’s client, Amanda O’Shaughnessy, was convicted in 2015 of the murder of her then partner David Butterworth. At trial she asserted self-defence, having been grabbed by the throat and pinned against a cupboard by Butterworth. Her account of coercive control and sexual abuse at the hands of her partner was not fully explored before the jury, though the trial judge left the partial defence of loss of control.

Post conviction, social service records cataloguing years of physical, psychological and sexual abuse going back to early childhood have been obtained by fresh representatives. These were not available to the experts who assessed her at the time of the offence. Miss O’Shaughnessy has now been diagnosed with complex PTSD, and it is argued that this fresh evidence directly supports the partial defence of loss of control. 

Annabel is instructed by Nora Talbi at EBR Attridge and the appeal is supported by the Centre for Women’s Justice.