The last woman to be hanged in the UK has been formally pardoned, her death sentence posthumously commuted for life in prison.

Ruth Ellis was executed at Holloway prison in 1955 after being convicted of the murder of her lover, racing drive David Blakely, who she shot outside the Magdala Pub in North London.

Today the Justice Secretary, David Lammy, announced that the King had agreed to the conditional pardon, ‘to recognise a profound injustice in this exceptional case’. Ellis’s grandchildren, who have campaigned for the pardon, were watching from the Commons gallery.

Lammy added, ‘We hope this brings a measure of peace to Ruth Ellis’ family, who have carried the weight of what happened to her for over 70 years.’

Feminist legal charity, the Centre for Women’s Justice said in a statement that they welcomed the government’s decision to accept ‘that Ruth Ellis’ actions were “profoundly shaped” by the abuse and trauma she experienced’. They argue that if the trial had taken place today, Ellis could have put forward partial defences of loss of control or diminished responsibility and ‘benefited from an improved understanding of the impact of domestic abuse, including coercive control.’ Although, they said, she likely would still be convicted of murder in the modern legal system.

Ellis’ granddaughter, Laura Enston, described Ruth as ‘a victim of sustained and brutal abuse’. It was known at the time of the trial that Blakely had assaulted and abused her, on one occasion punching her in the stomach so hard she miscarried a pregnancy. Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Enston said ‘the shadow of Ruth’s execution has fallen across two generations. We have carried shame that was never ours to bear.

‘We hope Ruth’s story serves as a lasting reminder that the justice system must reckon with the abuse that drives women to the edge – and must never be afraid to acknowledge when it has got things wrong.’