Former Hollyoaks actor Stephen Beard was enjoying dinner with friends when he received the news that his grandmother, Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, had been posthumously pardoned. The 38-year-old father of four expressed to The Mirror that it was a moving moment and the culmination of a long-standing campaign for justice.
“It was an incredible thing to hear. I looked up to the sky and remembered Ruth and my mother. It has been a lengthy journey, but finally, it’s concluded. We can now release the burden. The family has carried this weight for so long. Ruth’s death has impacted multiple generations. However, the notion that we carried ‘bad blood’ due to the past events is now over. It’s been put to rest,” Beard stated.
The announcement of the posthumous conditional pardon for Ruth, who fatally shot her abusive partner David Blakely in 1955, was made by King Charles and disclosed by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy in Parliament. Lammy informed MPs that the initial death penalty had been substituted with a life imprisonment sentence. This decision acknowledges that if Ruth’s case had been tried today, a defense of loss of control or diminished responsibility could have been utilized.
Ruth, a nightclub hostess from Wales, was executed at 28 after being convicted of murdering her lover, David Blakely, outside a pub in London. Her family has persistently advocated for Ruth’s pardon, asserting that she was a victim of emotional and physical abuse.
Beard, who works in the data centers industry for global clients and resides in Dubai, mentioned that he and his siblings always believed that Ruth’s trial was flawed, with crucial evidence regarding her abuse and mental state not presented. He acknowledged the enduring impact of Ruth’s case on her family through the generations.
Following Ruth’s death, her executioner Albert Pierrepoint recalled her stoic demeanor, noting her bravery. Beard emphasized that despite the lasting repercussions of her death on the family, her courage in her final moments has been a source of inspiration.
Reflecting on his grandmother’s legacy, Beard shared, “Being her grandson is a mixed blessing. It has tainted our family history, but personally, it has instilled in me a sense of fearlessness. She was brave and unwavering, which has shaped my resolve. I always knew our cause was worth fighting for.”
He expressed his intention to proudly display a portrait of his grandmother at home, emphasizing, “Previously labeled a murderer, a cold-blooded killer, she is now simply my grandmother.”
