Sally Challen To Be Freed From Jail As She Awaits Fresh Trial

She will be released on Saturday.

Sally Challen has been granted conditional bail and will be released from prison on Saturday as she awaits a fresh trial for the murder of her husband Richard Challen.

Georgina Challen, known as Sally, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of her husband in her first appearance at the Old Bailey since her conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal.

She says she killed 61-year-old Richard Challen in August 2010 after 40 years of being controlled and humiliated by him.

She was jailed for life for the murder of the former car dealer following a trial at Guildford Crown Court in 2011.

But her conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered at the Court of Appeal in London in February, in light of new evidence which was not available at the time of her first trial.

BAIL GRANTED!

Our mother will now be released to us!#FreeSallyChallen

Our statement on today’s judgement: pic.twitter.com/GPsA7lRAi5

— David Challen (@David_Challen) April 5, 2019

During a two-day hearing, the court heard evidence relating to Challen’s state of mind at the time of the killing and the issue of “coercive control”.

Challen, 65, of Claygate, Surrey, who has been held at HMP Bronzefield, appeared at the Old Bailey by video link on Friday.

A statement released by her sons David and James Challen said: “Today we are overjoyed that bail has been granted for our mother and that she will now be released back to us.

“Our mother now rejoins our family.”

During the bail and plea hearing in Court One, Justice Edis set a further hearing for June 7 and a trial on July 1 “if necessary”.

The Guildford Crown Court case could be transferred to the Old Bailey to be heard by a High Court judge.

Challen, a former Police Federation worker, has been supported by her sons throughout.

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