Serial Abuser Appeals 27-Year Conviction for Partner’s Murder and Rampant Domestic Abuse
A serial abuser, Mark Campbell, who was jailed for a minimum of 27 years for murdering his partner, Jane Fitzpatrick, is now appealing against his conviction and sentence. Campbell, 37, was found guilty of killing 48-year-old Fitzpatrick, as well as charges related to rape, assault, and abusive behavior towards women spanning from 2004 to 2021.
The court heard that Campbell had convinced Fitzpatrick to leave the hospital against medical advice before inflicting severe head injuries on her in Glenrothes in August 2021. Fitzpatrick was one of seven women in the area who suffered at the hands of Campbell during a campaign of physical and sexual violence. Campbell claimed that Fitzpatrick fell and hit her head, and he tried to stop the bleeding before they fell asleep in the car.
After a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Campbell was found guilty of murder and 13 other charges. He was then sentenced to life imprisonment and was told that he must serve at least 27 years before being eligible for parole. Additionally, Campbell was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, and non-harassment orders were issued to prevent him from contacting or attempting to contact any survivors of his abuse.
Campbell has now launched an appeal, instructing his legal team to challenge both his convictions and the length of his sentence. The appeal bid has been lodged at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, and a hearing will take place at a later date. Campbell did not request to be released on bail pending his appeal and is currently in custody.
Throughout the trial, it was revealed that Fitzpatrick had been subjected to continuous abuse during their relationship, which started in September 2020. Campbell isolated her from friends and family, made threats, monitored her every move and social media accounts, and even damaged her mobile phones. Before her murder, Fitzpatrick had been admitted to the hospital in Kirkcaldy due to illness and unsteadiness caused by a head injury. However, Campbell convinced her to leave against medical advice and subsequently caused fatal head injuries using a tyre iron.
Other women who had been victims of Campbell’s abuse also gave evidence during the trial, describing instances of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. One former partner shared her experience of being assaulted by Campbell in 2018, when he pushed a finger into a healing operation wound on her back and forcibly dragged her from a bed. Another victim recounted being thrown down a flight of stairs and kicked in the stomach while pregnant. Campbell had also bitten her head, tried to force drugs into her mouth, and even attempted to make her eat raw meat.
Judging the severity of his actions, Judge Lady Poole stated, Our society will not tolerate domestic abuse against women. The sentences the courts impose on abusers must reflect that.
Confirming the appeal, a spokesman from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service stated that an intimation of intention to appeal had been lodged for Campbell, challenging both his conviction and sentence. The process will require a hearing at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.
