Timothy Brehmer

The offence

What the court heard

His original sentence✓ Saved of 10-years and 6-moths imprisonment was increased after Court of Appeal judges found it was unduly lenient. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in West Parley, Dorset, on 9 May 2020. He was found not guilty of murder.LORD BURNETT OF MALDON CJ: 1. On 28 October 2020 Timothy Brehmer was sentenced by Mr Justice Jacobs at Salisbury Crown Court to 10½ years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of Claire Parry. The offender had been charged with murder. He had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing ("PTPH") and later, in his defence statement, advanced the case that whilst guilty of an assault he lacked the intent for murder (unlawful act manslaughter). He was tried for murder. The judge left the partial defence of "loss of control" to the jury. The jury acquitted of murder. It fell to the judge to decide on what basis of manslaughter to sentence the offender: R v King [2017] EWCA Crim 128, [2017] 4 WLR 95. The judge was satisfied so that he was sure that the offender had the necessary intent for murder but lost control for the purposes of the partial defence. He sentenced the offender having regard to the definitive guideline of the Sentencing Council for manslaughter following loss of control. He concluded that that the appropriate sentence was one of 12½ years' imprisonment before a discount for the guilty plea to the different type of manslaughter. He applied a discount of a little over 15% which resulted in the sentence of 10½ years' imprisonment. 2. The Attorney General seeks leave to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient. For reasons which we will develop we are satisfied that the sentence was unduly lenient and must be raised to 13½ years' imprisonment. An application for leave to appeal against sentence has also been referred to the court. 3. The 41 year old offender was a police officer who had been having an "on and off" extra marital affair for about ten years with Claire Parry, who was a 41 year old nurse with two small children. Her husband knew of the affair and was contemplating leaving her. In early May 2020 Claire Parry decided to tell the offender's wife about the affair. Internet searches had led her to conclude that the offender was a serial womaniser. She told the offender of her intention, but he did not take the opportunity to tell his wife himself. On the evening of 8 May the offender was on a night shift and spoke at length to Claire Parry. He left work…

Around this case

• Court 23, The Rolls Building, 7 Rolls Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1NL
• Investigated by Dorset Police