Valerie’s Law: Closing a loophole that lets spouse killers keep parental rights

Valerie French Kilroy was the mother of three very young boys, an occupational therapist and a much-loved sister and friend.

In June 2019 she was murdered by her husband James Kilroy. She was 41. That he killed her was never in doubt – he admitted it – but the defence put forward at his trial in 2024 was that he was insane when he beat, stabbed and strangled his wife to death.That defence was rejected by the jury and he was convicted of her murder.

For her siblings, including her brother David, Kilroy had committed child harm in that he had robbed three children of their mother. Such a crime they felt would surely mean he would no longer be the children’s legal guardian. They soon learned that legally that is not the case.

From his prison cell Kilroy is still in the children’s lives as their legal guardian, making decisions to do with their welfare, from medical treatments to travel outside the country.

David French is now fighting for changes to the legislation around guardianship that would ensure that in cases where a partner has deprived children of their parent, guardianship would be denied.

Called “Valerie’s law” it is, says French, a simple change in the legislation that would be of enormous benefit to the children in such horrendous cases; he says an average of seven children a year are impacted. It would also give more certainty to bereaved families as they navigate the path ahead.

French has written a book, For Valerie, and he explains to In the News why that was important to him and why he is fighting to make Valerie’s law a reality.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. 

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