Machete mother's jail term reduced

A woman who helped her Black Country husband slaughter his teenage brother – almost decapitating him with a machete – has had her jail term cut.

William Joseph and mother-of-five Noreen McDonagh from Walsall were given life sentences at Stafford Crown Court in 1997 for the murder of Gary McDonagh, aged 16.

The couple, of Shakespeare Crescent, Harden, were also found guilty of the attempted murder of Gary's 13-year-old brother, Christopher.

Noreen, now 39, appealed against the term and yesterday it was cut from 18 years to 16 at London's High Court.

It means, after time spent on remand is taken into account, she can ask the Parole Board to free her in October 2012. When released, she will remain on perpetual "life licence", subject to prison recall if she puts a foot wrong.

Judge Mr Justice Owen was told she "sees" her young victim in her mind and accepts his murder was "the most unforgivable thing in life".

The fatal attack was carried out against a backdrop of violence. The weekend leading up to the killing was one of vicious cruelty, whereby the children endured endless beatings and were repeatedly told they were going to die.

After reviewing the case at London's Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Justice Owen accepted William McDonagh bore more responsibility for the killing than his wife.