A pair of mothers whose daughters were murdered by their ex-partners say new coercive control laws aren't enough - and argue that all killers who use force should face at least 25 years in prison.
Carole Gould's daughter, Ellie, 17, was stabbed to death by her ex Thomas Griffiths, then 17, in May 2019. He was jailed for a minimum of 12-and-a-half years.
Julie Devey's daughter, Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, was stabbed 23 times in the head and neck by her ex-boyfriend, Joe Atkinson, then 25, in December 2018.
She had more than 100 injuries - including 49 knife wounds - and Atkinson will serve a minimum of 16 years and two months in prison.
The mums united to campaign for tougher legislation for domestic violence killings, and last month Dominic Raab announced that longer sentences will be introduced.
The government said the law will be changed so that a history of coercive or controlling behaviour against the victim or the use of excessive or gratuitous violence are made aggravating factors in sentencing decisions for murder.
It means these violent and controlling criminals will face more time behind bars, as judges must consider longer jail terms for their abuse and aggression.
A public consultation will also be launched to determine whether a higher sentencing starting point of 25 years should be applied in murder cases where there has been a history of controlling and coercive abuse.
Currently, the 25-year starting point only applies to murders where a knife has been taken to the scene with intent.
The mums welcomed the new laws - but said they don't go far enough, and want the 25-year minimum for all overkill and strangulation murders too, regardless of whether a weapon is taken to the scene.
Julie Devey, 60, a senior registration officer, from Frome, Somerset, said: "I think the overkill is a massive point.
"A few years ago now I started gathering my own statistics because I was trying to find out about the weapon that had been taken the scene of the crime.
"It made me ill - the viciousness of what these perpetrators do to these women is just unbelievable and yet they do it they try and cover up the crime and run rings around the police.
"They are very very dangerous individuals so they have to look at overkill and say that is going to carry eight years or 10 years whatever it is."
Overkill is described as the excessive use of force that goes further than what is necessary to kill.
It involves multiple injuries and results in one or more causes of death or multiple wounds distributed over two or more regions of the body.
Julie said: "To have overkill as an aggravating factor, unless it will be worth years and years - it just isn't worth the paper it is written on.
"These sentences have to start reflecting the viciousness of what these women go through and then the families.
"We have images in our heads of it happening and after.
"We have seen our daughters, it isn't fair and they are all saying that but what they have come up with at the moment isn't enough."
Carole and Julie both believe that their daughters were "let down".
Carole Gould, 52, a business owner, from Calne, Wiltshire, said: "I can't believe it takes two grieving mothers to point out all these failures in our justice system.
"When we first got Ellie's sentencing I discovered that a 10-year-old is treated the same as someone who is 17 when it comes to murder.
"You just think why has nobody questioned that before and who thinks that is right?
"That is what I find incredible, how has nobody questioned that before and thought 'well that's archaic we need to amend that.'
"This is what has driven me to campaign for change - I am devastated that's all Ellie's life was worth.
"12-and-a-half years to end a beautiful life with such a bright future in such a horrific way and that is the punishment.
"It has taken four years of campaigning to shout to the right people to say this is wrong - it is exhausting."
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said all murder carries a life sentence and it is for judges to decide the minimum prison term.
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