Mum of Portsmouth domestic abuse victim calls for law changes

Chloe Holland suffered what police described as a "horrific campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour"

A grieving mother has called for a change in domestic abuse laws so "monsters are held accountable".

Chloe Holland took her own life in February following a year of abuse by her partner, Marc Masterton, 26.

He was jailed for 41 months for coercive and controlling behaviour.

Ms Holland's mother, Sharon, told a Portsmouth City Council meeting such perpetrators should face manslaughter charges if their victims take their own lives as a result.

The meeting passed a motion calling for coercive control offenders to face legal consequences in line with the suffering they have caused.

Ms Holland, a 23-year-old mother-of-one from Southsea, suffered what police described as a "horrific campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour" at the hands of Masterton.

Marc Masterton was jailed for 41 months for coercive and controlling behaviour

He would routinely control her appearance, assault her, isolate her from friends and family, belittle her and tell her to take her own life, police said.

The abuse was carried out all over the county, with assaults taking place in hotels, hostels and on public transport.

Ms Holland's mother said: "Fifteen per cent was taken off his sentence and he was praised for entering an early plea, three years and four months was all he was given for causing my beautiful daughter to take her life.

"Legislation must be changed so these monsters are held accountable for destroying a young girl's life and putting her through the most horrendous abuse."

The council motion was supported by Councillor Kirsty Mellor who said the issue "strikes at the heart of justice and wellbeing".

"When coercive control escalates into domestic suicide, our legal system must respond with the gravity and severity such horrific abuse deserves," she told the meeting.

The council unanimously approved the motion, urging council leadership to lobby central government for legislative changes.

Sharon Holland has also begun a petition calling for Parliament to debate measures to create a statutory offence of manslaughter by coercive or controlling behaviour.