Ruth Ellis was put to death nearly 55 years ago aged just 28 for shooting dead her violent boyfriend, racing driver David Blakely. She is portrayed by Lucy Boynton in ITV production A Cruel Love.
Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain in 1955, has been the subject of claims by her grandson, Stephen Beard, that her case was a miscarriage of justice. Ellis was convicted of murdering her violent boyfriend, David Blakely, after a brief trial. The ITV drama "A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story" explores her tragic story. Beard argues that the judge failed to consider battered woman syndrome or diminished responsibility, suggesting her case could be reviewed. Ellis's execution sparked international outcry and contributed to the abolition of capital punishment in 1969.
