PARLIAMENT DEBATE ON TOUGHER SENTENCING POWERS INSPIRED BY DARTFORD MUM GEMMA ROBINSON WHO TOOK OWN LIFE AFTER ABUSE BY JOSEPH FALCONER
Gemma Robinson, a resident of Dartford and a mother, took her own life last year prior to the sentencing of her abuser, Joseph Falconer.Despite a judge's description of Falconer as "dangerous, jealous, and controlling," he was found guilty of malicious wounding, fraud, and criminal damage at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in February.
The malicious wounding charge was outside the scope of the Unduly Lenient Scheme (ULS), and a related charge of causing grievous bodily harm was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Gemma’s family was devastated, feeling she was denied justice, and they plan to appeal the sentence despite indications from MP Gareth Johnson’s office that there is no legal avenue for doing so.
The case has ignited a campaign aimed at enlarging sentencing powers for domestic abuse cases.
During a parliamentary debate, Johnson recounted how Falconer assaulted Gemma in 2019, causing her to fracture her eye socket, punch her lip, spit on her, and then strip her bank accounts.
Her family expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, while her sister Kirsty Robinson used the case to raise awareness about domestic abuse and advocate for more flexible sentencing schemes.
Johnson emphasized that Falconer repeatedly assaulted Gemma, who had previously been issued a restraining order.
He described how Falconer, who had tricked or cajoled his way back into her life and her home, attacked her in 2019 in a manner described as despicable—shattering her eye socket, punching her lip, spitting on her, and then leaving with her money.
Her family believes the justice system let Gemma down and are calling for reforms to prevent similar injustices for others.
