I am trying to get enough signatures to keep the man who murdered my sister in Blackpool behind bars

David Minto, from Fleetwood, was convicted of the horrific murder of 16 year old Sasha Marsden in 2013 and jailed for 35 years. But he wasn’t given a whole life term for the killing and could be out by the age of 57.

Sasha’s devastated family, including sister Katie Brett, felt that justice wasn’t done and that Minto could still be a danger to young girls when he is eventually released.

In an exclusive true-crime documentary, Lucinda Herbert revisits the horrifying case of Sasha Marsden’s murder, and looks at why her family are desperate for a change in the 28-day time limit.

Watch the full programme - which is shortlisted for the Press Gazette’s British Journalism Awards 2024 - at this link.

Families of murder victims currently only have 28-days to appeal if they think a sentence is too lenient – which Katie and her family do not think takes into consideration the grieving period.

But while two previous petitions gathered enough signatures to get a government response - she wants to keep fighting until the law is debated in parliament.

Tragically, Katie’s mum Jayne Marsden died on March 13, this year. She had been campaigning for Sasha too, but she became ill after the trauma of her daughter’s death.

Katie told the Blackpool Gazette: “The campaign goes on - I am still trying to get 100,000 signatures. I am also hoping to get support from our two MPs, Lorraine Beavers and Chris Webb. It isn’t just for Sasha but for other potential victims and families out there.

“I feel I have to keep fighting and get the law changed to allow justice for bereaved families. The petition extends until May 6 2025 - the day before Sasha’s birthday.”

Horrific details of gruesome murder

During a two-week murder trial, Katie recalls listening to how David Minto inflicted over 100 injuries on 16-year-old Sasha, before murdering her in a Blackpool hotel on January 31, 2013.

Sasha had been lured to a hotel thinking she was going to an interview for a part-time cleaning job.

Her body was then dumped and set alight in an alleyway behind the Grafton House Hotel, in Blackpool, where Minto lived.

Eligible for parole in 2048

When Minto was handed a 35 year sentence, Katie remembers how her family ‘had no fight left’ to question it.

So he will be eligible for parole in 2048.

The family believe the killer and rapist should have received a whole life order, and that the sentence, meaning he could be 57 when he gets out of prison, was ‘unduly lenient’.

‘Dangerous’ predator

Katie said: “David Minto had attacked at least 3 vulnerable young girls with no intervention from the justice system before eventually killing Sasha in 2013. He will kill again, and as he goes for young vulnerable females, it’s safe to say that his next victim hasn’t even been born yet. He will always be a danger to women and should not be given the opportunity to kill again. At least Sashas death achieved something and that was an extremely dangerous man was removed from our streets. If he is released to do this again Sashas death will be for nothing."

Watch the Press Gazette award-shortlisted true-crime documentary - Lured To Her Death: The Murder of Sasha Marsden at shotstv.com.

Grief is not taken into consideration

Katie says she will fight for ‘every person who’s been stolen from this world’, and that she is doing this to help other families of murder victims who are experiencing the same grief.

“The justice system needs to acknowledge that a families grief is a thing that they need to take into consideration. Why should he have 35 years to plan for his parole when we only have 28 days to decide whether or not we want to appeal his sentence? Many people say he should be hung, but the best we can ever hope for is that he spends the rest of his life in jail.”

You can sign the petition here -

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700168?fbclid=IwY2xjawGxm5FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTTfXVB0iZtC27n7Xt393lyKv9KgoC8I0SAAZW34ZKqjrw3MPao66bBKrA_aem_pLc_DjPD4UZVd9rwESf7Ew