Prosecutors seek new trial as murder conviction of Belfast woman is overturned
Prosecutors have asked for a retrial of Julie Ann McIlwaine after the Court of Appeal quashed her murder conviction.
Julie Ann McIlwaine, 35, had her murder conviction for the March 2022 killing of James Joseph Crossley overturned by the Court of Appeal, which identified juror misdirection on the loss-of-control test. Prosecutors have filed an application for a retrial on the murder charge, whereas her lawyer, Eilis McDermott, argues that a manslaughter verdict should replace the conviction. McIlwaine remains in custody serving a minimum 12-year term.
The appeal highlighted errors in how the trial judge framed the legal test and the weight given to expert psychiatric evidence. The matter was adjourned until early November, with senior judges indicating they will address the competing submissions then. Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan confirmed the schedule.
Why it matters
The case could reshape how courts assess loss-of-control defences in domestic-abuse killings.
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