A man who was sentenced to life in prison for brutally stabbing his pregnant girlfriend over 40 times has had his sentence reduced by the Court of Appeal.
Liam Taylor, 38, was convicted of murdering Ailish Walsh, who was nearly six months pregnant, in their Hackney, east London, apartment on December 15, 2022. He admitted to the crime and was initially handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years at the Old Bailey in August 2023.
However, on Wednesday, the Court of Appeal ruled that Taylor’s sentence should be adjusted to a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years. The reduction was justified by the absence of a sexual motive in the crime, as stated by Mrs Justice Justine Thornton.
Taylor’s defense attorney, Andrew Morris, argued that the original sentencing judge had inaccurately described the crime as “sadistic” and “sexual,” despite no evidence suggesting a sexual intent. He acknowledged that Walsh was stabbed in her genitals and abdomen but contended that Taylor did not intend to kill the unborn child. Morris described the attack as a momentary loss of control rather than a premeditated act.
Taylor has a history of violence against female relatives. Jane Osborne KC, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, countered by stating that the wounds inflicted on Walsh were an intentional attempt to harm the fetus, which Taylor was aware of and knew was his.
Despite acknowledging the severity of the crime and the absence of any attempt by Taylor to call for emergency assistance, Mrs. Justice Thornton, along with Lord Justice Tim Holroyde and Mr. Justice Matthew Nicklin, agreed that the absence of a sexual element in the offense warranted the reduction in sentence.
