Partygate: Norfolk murder victim's sister wishes she had broken rules

Kimberley Seeger (left) wishes she could have done more to protect her sister Gemma Marjoram (right)

The sister of a woman murdered by her husband on the day Boris Johnson had a birthday party said she wished she had also broken the rules to be with her.

Mother-of-three Gemma Marjoram was stabbed to death by her husband near Norwich on 19 June 2020.

The prime minister was fined by police over the gathering, photos of which emerged in Sue Gray's report.

"I have this unbearable guilt that I followed the rules and wasn't with her," said sister Kimberley Seeger.

"We couldn't spend any time with her in the months before she was murdered and I couldn't keep her safe.

"My mother had to go on her own to identify her body and we were denied the chance to comfort her.

"We had to hold a socially distanced funeral and turn people away, and we had to plan it over FaceTime."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would not resign over Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street

Ms Seeger said the "partygate" scandal had left her feeling sick and she could not forgive the prime minister, who she believed should resign.

"My sister would maybe be here if I had broken the rules like the government. She wanted to see us for so long, but I was adamant I was not going to break the law," she said.

"I keep looking over my messages and driving myself mad. I had a breakdown because of the guilt.

"The photos can't lie; the evidence is there. He doesn't deserve to be prime minister."

Gemma Marjoram had left Michael Cowey after he threatened her with a knife but was killed after agreeing to meet up

Ms Seeger said the last time she saw her sister in person was in February 2020 when Ms Marjoram organised a surprise baby shower for her.

"She never got to meet her baby nephew in person, only through a window," she said.

Michael Cowey admitted murder and was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison

Ms Marjoram was stabbed 26 times by her husband, Michael Cowey, who had abused her for years.

She had managed to leave the violent relationship but he killed her at the site of a former mortuary in Thorpe St Andrew, near Norwich.

She was in her car when he ambushed her, armed with knives, and forced her to drive to the derelict area.

Incidents of domestic violence increased during the lockdowns, according to the charity Refuge, which said the measures left many women isolated and more exposed to violence and abuse.

"Gemma was not able to get the same in-person support from a local domestic violence charity," said Ms Seeger.

"After she died, our homicide case workers were not allowed to meet us in person, they could only support us over the phone, and that was the same for therapy. We were denied a support network.

"I couldn't even spend time with Gemma's coffin at the funeral as I was not allowed to get up from my seat and we could not hold a normal wake."

Cowey killed Gemma Marjoram after luring her to a derelict former mortuary

Ms Seeger said she was angry when she found out that Boris Johnson had been to the gathering for his birthday on the day her sister died.

"That was the worst day of our lives. I could not travel to be with my family after being told about it, because of the rules, which we were not exempt from," she said.

"At that moment, Boris Johnson was having a birthday party. I can't believe that even at such a horrific time we obeyed the rules and we have suffered so much because of it."

'Full responsibility'

A report by senior civil servant Sue Gray detailed examples of excessive drinking and repeated Covid rule-breaking during the pandemic.

Mr Johnson said he took "full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch".

He said he was "humbled" by Ms Gray's findings, but insisted he did not lie to MPs and was not going to quit.

He said he wanted to "keep moving forward" and focus on the "people's priorities".

His cabinet colleagues rallied to his defence, with Health Secretary Sajid Javid saying he was focused on "tackling the big challenges ahead".

Ms Gray's report followed the conclusion of a police investigation which resulted in 126 fixed penalty notices for rule breaches, with the prime minister receiving a single fine for attending the birthday gathering in the Cabinet Room.