By Murderer launches appeal for shorter sentence
A murderer who tortured and killed a young Gosport mother last year has now launched an appeal against his 30-year jail sentence.
Brendan Rowan-Davies was convicted of murdering Kelly-Anne Case, 27, by slitting her throat at her home in Grange Crescent, Gosport, and then setting two fires in a bid to cover his tracks.
Earlier this year the 29-year-old was handed a life term with a minimum of 30 years after the judge ruled the killing was sadistic.
Winchester Crown Court heard how Rowan-Davies had returned to Ms Case’s home on July 30 last year at around 7.46am to carry out the attack – binding her wrists with cable ties.
Now, Rowan-Davies has launched an appeal to reduce his 30-year jail term for murdering Kelly-Anne Case.
It is thought that alongside a friend, Rowan-Davies had been invited to Case’s home in the early hours of the same morning.
But, Rowan-Davies denied killing the mum-of-three.
He is not appealing the conviction for murder and arson.
His appeal centres on the trial judge’s finding the murder was sadistic.
Such killings tend to see a starting sentence of 30 years when a judge has ruled – to the criminal standard of proof of being ‘sure’ – that the murder was sadistic.
Sentencing in February of this year, Mr Justice Garnham told the killer:
“Either you obtained pleasure from inflicting wounds on Ms Case before you went on to kill her, in which case it was sadistic in motivation, or you inflicted pain to persuade her to have sex with you and killed her when she refused.
“The former is more likely and what I find occurred.”
The Court of Appeal confirmed that the case has been lodged and is being prepared but is yet to be looked at by a senior judge who will decide if the appeal can proceed to a full hearing.
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