ITV’s new two-part documentary Code Blue: Murder explored the brutal killing of Katherine Smith last night (April 4) and viewers were left questioning the justice system when they heard the sentence handed to the killer.
Mother-of-one Katherine was discovered in her flat in Cardiff, lying dead in a pool of blood with 33 stab wounds.
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The 26-year-old had been dating Anthony Lowe, 46, in the weeks leading up to her death.
They met on dating site Plenty of Fish in September 2017. But unbeknownst to Katherine, her boyfriend was using a fake identity.
She knew him as Tony Moore and thought he was 10 years younger.
In his trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Lowe pleaded guilty to murder and, in March last year, was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison.
But viewers on Twitter were outraged and thought the sentence far too short for such a horrific crime.
One wrote: “One cold, heartless man! He is not one bit [bleeped]! 18 years, what sort of justice is that?!”
Another said: “I’m watching Code Blue: Murder. Stabbing somebody 33 times after six weeks. Heartbreaking for the family. He got 18 years, what a [bleeping] joke. Life should mean life.”
A third tweeted: “Such a short sentence in comparison to other murders when he is clearly a dangerous violent man.”
Lowe went missing after the killing but was caught in just 36 hours when officers tracked him to Bristol through his mobile phone, which he had used to text Katherine’s family and threaten to commit suicide.
Speaking on the programme, Katherine’s grieving mum Debbie said: “I saw three people coming towards us, and my words to them were, ‘Don’t say anything’s happened to her.’
“And they just looked [at me]. And I just screamed the place down. I close my eyes and all I can see is Katherine trying to get to me.”
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Taking to Twitter after watching the emotional scenes, one viewer commented: “‘I closed my eyes and all I could see was Katherine trying to get to me.’ Heartbreaking. Poor Mum.”
A second user wrote: “Couldn’t even imagine. How heartbreaking.”
Another said: “RIP Katherine Smith.”
– Part two of Code Blue: Murder will air on Thursday, April 11 at 9pm
Do you think Anthony Lowe should have been given longer than 18 years? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.