She will, forever, be known as the last woman in England to be hanged for murder. But this week, some 70 years on, there has been redemption of sorts for former nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis.

Ellis was executed at the age of 28 at north London‘s Holloway Prison in July 1955, having shot dead her lover David Blakely, 25, outside the Magdala pub in nearby Hampstead.

Amid public fury over her execution, the former glamour model appeared serene about her fate, as revealed in unseen letters that came to light when her family called for her to be posthumously given a reprieve last October.

In one letter, written on prison paper with her name and prisoner number, Ellis said, ‘I am quite well’ the day before she was hanged by Albert Pierrepoint, Britain’s most prolific executioner.

A single mother of two at the time of her death, Ellis was portrayed as a ‘cold-blooded killer’. But her family have long denied this depiction, arguing she was physically and emotionally abused by her partner before killing him.

She shot Blakely dead following a tumultuous relationship involving infidelity on both sides, an aborted pregnancy, and violence including a punch in the stomach during an argument that led to a miscarriage.

Fighting for a posthumous pardon, four of her grandchildren said Ellis would today be able to plead the defence of diminished responsibility due to his treatment of her.

Now, 71 years later that wish has now been granted by the King, announced in the House of Commons on Wednesday by Justice Secretary David Lammy.

Ruth Ellis shot David Blakely dead outside the Magdala pub in South Hill Park, Hampstead

Ruth Ellis featured at Madame Tussauds’ ‘Chamber of Horrors’ alongside serial killers

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Today, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Ellis’s granddaughter Laura Enston, 47, lays bare the family’s fight for justice and their everlasting grief.

‘Her trial was a disgrace,’ she said. ‘She was made an example of.’ 

Ms Enston hailed the pardon as ‘significant’, adding: ‘Changing her sentence doesn’t bring her back, but it sends out a very clear message that they got things wrong.

‘She wasn’t just on a trial for murder – she was on trial for morality.’

Ellis, a single mother from a modest background, showed no emotion during her Old Bailey trial in June 1955.

The judge told the jury to disregard the fact she had been ‘badly treated by her lover’ as a defence.

Under cross-examination, Ellis admitted she intended to kill Blakely and the jury took just 20 minutes to convict her of murder, a charge that carried a mandatory death sentence.

Ms Enston also acknowledged how her grandmother had come across as ‘cold’ when giving evidence in court.

She said: ‘She inadvertently played up to that sort of cold-blooded killer persona that she’d been portrayed to be, but knowing what we know now about trauma and slow-burn provocation, Ruth was traumatised and typical of domestic abuse victims.

‘I don’t think many people at the time understood what women suffered.’

Sitting in the House of Commons yesterday, Ms Enston said she suddenly realised just how important the family’s campaign has been.

That said, she is not done fighting just yet.

She has now urged the Madame Tussauds museum in central London to remove a figure of her grandmother from its ‘Chamber of Horrors’ exhibition.

To her dismay, Ellis is featured alongside serial killer ‘Jack The Ripper’, necrophile Nilsen, Acid Bath Murderer John Haigh and the notorious Kray Twins.

‘I recognise why she’s in there, but she shouldn’t be next to serial killers and sex offenders,’ she said, adding that she has contacted Madame Tussauds but has not received a response. Madame Tussauds has been approached for comment.

Ellis’s execution came just after Styllou Christofi, 54, was sentenced to death for murdering her daughter-in-law.

By chilling coincidence, both Christofi and Ellis carried out their killings in the very same street in the 1950s – South Hill Park in Hampstead.

They were both buried in unmarked graves at Holloway, then exhumed in 1971 along with three other female murderers of the 20th century.

These included Edith Thompson, 29, who was executed in 1923 for the murder of her husband Percy.

David Blakley and Ruth Ellis are pictured together at a social event

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The Daily Mail’s report of Ruth Ellis’s execution in July 1955

A stoic letter by Ruth Ellis saying, ‘I am quite well’ the day before she became the last woman to be executed in Britain 

Also disinterred at the same time were ‘baby farmers’ Amelia Sach, 29, and Annie Walters, 54, who had been hanged at the jail in February 1903 after being found guilty of murdering infants in East Finchley, north London.

All were transferred to Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey in 1971 except for Ellis, whose remains were returned to her family.

Thompson was exhumed in 2018 and buried in her family plot beside her mother.

It has been Ruth Ellis’s case that has drawn the most attention, not only in headlines at the time but in subsequent film and TV recreations.

These have included the 1985 movie Dance With A Stranger, starring Miranda Richardson and Rupert Everett, and last year’s ITV docudrama series A Cruel Love with Bohemian Rhapsody star Lucy Boynton in the leading role.

Ellis’s granddaughter Ms Enston said she first learned about the case when her mother showed her the 1985 film when she was just seven years old.

‘[It was] completely unsuitable for children’s eyes. That was my first experience of Ruth Ellis. That was the start of me wanting to discover for myself the story, though at first I didn’t want to be part of it.’

She prefers last year’s series as it was more sympathetic towards her late grandmother.

Mr Lammy told MPs on Wednesday that the King had granted a conditional pardon on the advice of the Government.

Ms Enston said justice had ‘finally been done’ for Ellis and the family she left behind.

She said: ‘Ruth was a victim of sustained and brutal abuse. Her children – our mother and uncle – never recovered. The shadow of Ruth’s execution has fallen across two generations.

‘This pardon does not undo what happened 71 years ago. It does not restore the lives that were broken – the children left behind, the years lost.

‘But it says, formally and finally, that Ruth should not have been executed; that the justice system failed her.’

Ms Enston admits that despite what her grandmother went through, she should never have killed Mr Blakely.

The Magdala in north London closed in 2016 but reopened in 2021 as a pub and restaurant

Ruth Ellis was the last woman in the UK executed for murder

The shooting of David Blakely happened near a pub in Hampstead, north London

‘Did he deserve to die? I don’t think he did. But he was obviously a troubled individual.’

Ms Enston said domestic abuse was poorly understood at the time and that her grandmother would now have been considered a victim of battered woman syndrome and treated differently by the justice system.

James Libson, of law firm Mishcon de Reya which represented Ellis’s family, said Ellis ‘suffered considerably’ at the hands of her ‘abusive, violent partner’.

Following a number of other controversial executions and a series of miscarriages of justice, the death penalty was permanently abolished for murder in 1969.

Two years after Ellis’s execution, the law was also changed to introduce diminished responsibility as a defence for murder.

Police lined nearby streets ahead of Ruth Ellis’ execution at Holloway prison in north London

Ruth Ellis was hanged by executioner Albert Pierrepoint on July 15, 1955

Ruth Ellis is thought here to be posing at a club over her flat on Brompton Road in 1955

Miranda Richardson portrayed Ruth Ellis in the 1985 movie Dance With A Stranger

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The convicted killer was also played by Lucy Boynton in a drama series last year

Ruth Ellis’s grandchildren applied to the Department for Justice last year, seeking a conditional pardon.

Unlike court appeals, pardons can consider broader factors such as social developments which could render a conviction or its resulting punishment inappropriate or unfair.

Speaking in the Commons, the Justice Secretary said: ‘I have the honour to say that His Majesty the King has accepted our advice to grant Ruth Ellis a conditional pardon, the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom.

‘While the pardon does not claim she was innocent of killing David Blakely, it replaces the death penalty with a sentence of life imprisonment to recognise a profound injustice in this exceptional case.’

The Ministry of Justice said the move reflected ‘evidence of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour that may have been understood differently today’.

Spice Girls star Melanie C has said the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut single Wannabe – which fell on Wednesday – was a “very emotional day”.

The singer formerly known as Sporty Spice recalled that seeing the song in shops had been “so exciting, because it was everything we dreamed of”.

The track went on to become one of the defining singles of the 1990s, selling more than 8 million copies worldwide, and launching the band’s Girl Power agenda.

“We knew exactly what we wanted to achieve but nobody imagined the scale [of what] we went on to do,” said the star, whose real name is Melanie Chisholm.

“We went out, we conquered the world.

“We were told that we couldn’t, and we wouldn’t. But we did.”

The 52-year-old was speaking at the Nordoff And Robbins Silver Clef Awards at the Royal Albert Hall, where she was honoured with the global impact award.

The Spice Girls celebrated Wannabe’s 30th birthday with separate posts on social media earlier this week.

Victoria Beckham said, external the song had “forever changed our lives”, while Geri Horner wrote, external: “Thank you to my beautiful spice sisters.”

“It was a very emotional day yesterday,” Chisolm said on the red carpet. “We’re all in touch obviously, all of the girls, we’re so grateful and respectful of each other.”

Mackenzie Michalski was spotted in CCTV leaving multiple nightclubs with her eventual killer

An Irishman has been locked up for 14 years after murdering a young American tourist during an “intimate encounter” after luring her from a Budapest nightclub.

The killer, known only as LTM, strangled 31‑year‑old Mackenzie ‘Kenzie’ Michalski before stuffing her body into a suitcase and trying to dump it miles from the capital city. Detectives launched a search when Kenzie was reported missing on November 5, 2024, trawling through CCTV footage from nearby nightclubs.

This line of inquiry led officers to identify Ms Michalski’s Irish killer when the tourist, from Portland, Oregon, was spotted in footage leaving several nightclubs with the man now behind bars, Dublin Live reports.

Police were able to identify LTM, who was aged 37 at the time, and eventually detain him on November 7 for questioning. The Irishman confessed to the killing.

Investigators said that Ms Michalski and the suspect met at a nightclub and danced before leaving for the man’s rented apartment. Inside, he beat and strangled Ms Michalski while they were engaged in an “intimate encounter”, police described.

On Thursday (July 9), LTM was found guilty of murder and sentenced him to 14 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole at Budapest’s Metropolitan Court.

The 18 months he has already spent in detention will count toward his sentence, at the end of which the court ordered his deportation from Hungary. The man must also pay 2.5 million forints (£6,000) in court costs. His attorney has appealed against the verdict.

After his arrest in 2024, the suspect insisted Ms Michalski’s death had been accidental. However, investigators said he went to considerable lengths to conceal the killing, scrubbing his apartment and stuffing her body into a wardrobe before buying a suitcase and transferring her remains into it.

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He is then alleged to have rented a car and driven to Lake Balaton, some 90 miles south‑west of Budapest, where he dumped the suitcase in woodland outside the town of Szigliget. Police later released footage showing him leading officers to the spot where he had abandoned the body.

Detectives said his internet history revealed searches on how to dispose of a corpse, police procedures in missing‑person cases, whether pigs consume human remains, and the prevalence of wild boar around Lake Balaton. He also queried online the competence of Budapest’s police force.

City of York Council said vehicle access issues were caused by a utility company’s contractors not setting up in Colliergate as agreed, causing cars to back up on Wednesday, July 8.

Andy D’Agorne, a Green Party activist, said he counted 11 cars belonging to Blue Badge holders who ended up having to find a way out after driving down the street.

Northern Powergrid, the firm behind the works, said they had worked with the council and their delivery partner to ensure they were done safely and minimise disruption.

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It comes as signs and temporary fences were still in place in Colliergate on Thursday, July 9.

Mr D’Agorne told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the works should not have taken place at the same time as cars were being let into the pedestrianised Footstreets through bollards in Goodramgate.

He added it left cars having to drive along the pavement to get out.

The council’s spokesperson said the swift action of their staff resulted in the issue being resolved in less than a day.

Cars parked alongside Northern Powergrid works in Colliergate, York, on Wednesday, July 8 (Image: Andy D’Agorne)

The spokesperson said: “The vehicle access issues were caused by a utility company’s contractors not setting up the site as was agreed with them.

“We thank members of the public for reporting the issue.”

Northern Powergrid’s spokesperson said the safety of its customers, delivery partners, colleagues and the public were a priority during any works it carries out.

The spokesperson said: “Throughout the project, Northern Powergrid and our delivery partner regularly attended the site to oversee the works, maintain safe access for pedestrians, and monitor traffic conditions.

“Additional traffic management measures were also available if required.

“Representatives from the local authority also visited the site during the works and remained engaged with the arrangements in place throughout the project.

“We recognise that roadworks can be inconvenient and may cause delays, and we would like to thank customers for their patience while this essential work was carried out.”

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, perched on the North East/North Yorkshire coast, has repeatedly found itself in the spotlight as one of the region’s most desirable places to live and visit.

The town was recently recognised in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide, where judges praised its “unique coastal setting and vibrant town centre”.

Saltburn (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

It comes after Saltburn was also highlighted by Airbnb as one of the UK’s top “coastal gems” as part of its Unfollow the Crowd campaign, aimed at encouraging travellers to look beyond overcrowded tourist hotspots.

According to Airbnb, search interest for Saltburn-by-the-Sea rose by 39 per cent last year and this year, suggesting more people are discovering what locals have known for years.

The town’s famous pier, which dates back to 1869, remains a focal point for visitors, offering views across the North Sea and a reminder of Saltburn’s long history as a seaside resort.

Nearby, the historic cliff lift continues to carry people between the town and the promenade.

The water-powered funicular, which opened in the 1880s, is one of Saltburn’s best-loved features and adds to the sense that the town has preserved much of its original character.

In recent years, the town has built a reputation for its surf scene, independent cafés, restaurants, bars, and creative businesses.

Its beach regularly attracts surfers and paddleboarders, while walkers are drawn to the Cleveland Way and the surrounding coastline.

Away from the seafront, the town centre offers a mix of independent shops and places to eat and drink, helping to give Saltburn the lively, community-led feel that judges and visitors often point to.

Saltburn (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

The town’s history stretches back to the Victorian era, when it was transformed from a small coastal settlement into a planned seaside resort following the arrival of the railway.

Its distinctive street layout, including the so-called “Jewel streets” near the seafront, was designed to make the most of the town’s elevated position and sea views.

For those looking for green space, Saltburn Valley Gardens and Saltburn Valley Woods offer woodland walks close to the beach, with gardens, a miniature railway, and family-friendly attractions adding to the town’s appeal.

The surrounding area also gives residents and visitors easy access to wider beauty spots along the coast and inland towards the North York Moors.

Airbnb’s campaign suggested that more people are looking for places where they can slow down, stay locally, and discover somewhere with real character, with the online holiday and stay experts saying Saltburn “appears to fit that mood perfectly.”

Its transport links add to its liveability, with rail connections towards Middlesbrough and Darlington making it more practical for commuters than some remote coastal communities.

The Sunday Times guide considered factors such as schools, transport, broadband, mobile signal, green space, and the health of the high street when compiling its list.

For Saltburn, the verdict was clear: this is a town with “fresh air and heritage in spades.”

Reviews often highlight its peaceful atmosphere, coastal walks, and sense of community, while regular visitors praise it as a place that feels both lively and laid-back.

Like many desirable seaside towns, Saltburn is busiest in the summer months and on sunny weekends, when the beach, pier, and cafés draw crowds.

COUNT Binface is hitting the headlines for challenging Nigel Farage in the upcoming by-election in Clacton – but remember when he was making a big noise in North Yorkshire?

The colourful political character – campaigning on making all 99 cones cost 99p – stood against local MP Rishi Sunak in the last general election.

Count Binface, who has been doing media rounds in recent days dressed in his trademark tin bin helmet is a well-established novelty candidate in British elections, often pitting himself against the standing Prime Minister.

Count Binface when he was running for election in Richmond and Northallerton against PM Rishi Sunak Image: Count Binface

Binface – unmasked as Oxford-educated satirical scriptwriter Jon Harvey – stood as a candidate in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency at the 2019 General Election against the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and again at the 2023 by-election after Johnson’s resignation.

Most recently, he stood in the Makerfield by-election against Andy Burnham – and was photographed at the result standing next to the Labour MP and shaking his hand.

Closer to home, he took on Rishi Sunak in 2024 in the Richmond and Northallerton constituency.

Not surprisingly Count Binface’s manifesto features some unconventional aspirations, including Bringing back Ceefax, the teletext service, nationalising Adele as well as model railways, and moving the hand dryer in the men’s toilet at Uxbridge’s Crown and Treaty pub to a “more sensible position”.

When he announced his candidacy against Sunak, he said in his podcast, Trashtalk, that he would be “taking on the biggest fish of the lot” in the election and commented: “You shirked D-Day Rishi, you can’t miss the B-Day”, a reference to the controversy caused by the PM’s early departure from the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Count Binface when he was running for election in Richmond and Northallerton against the then PM Rishi Sunak in 2024. Image: Count Binface

As the Northallerton and Richmond result was declared in the small hours of July 5, 2024, Binface stood on stage with Sunak – who held the seat. However, the unlikely challenger was reaping his own success.

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He was sixth out of thirteen candidates with 308 votes, representing 0.6 per cent of all the votes cast. It is reported that he later commented on Twitter that it was his best placing and highest ever vote count in a national election and declared that “Bindependence Day has come”.

Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, arriving to cast their vote in the 2024 General Election at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Coutn Binface stood against him in this election. Picture date: Thursday July 4, 2024. PA

Can he outdo his North Yorkshire performance in Clacton?

We shall have to wait and see.

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A hospital ward in Carmarthen, Wales has been closed following an outbreak of a rare form of scabies, a Victorian disease the cases of which are on the rise in the UK

A hospital ward has been shut down following an outbreak of a rare form of scabies, a Victorian-era disease which is seeing a resurgence across the UK.

Steffan Ward at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, Wales, will be closed to manage the outbreak “in line with established infection prevention and control procedures,” according to Hywel Dda health board.

The health board confirmed that patients and staff identified as contacts have been offered treatment, including those not displaying symptoms.

It also stated that additional infection prevention and control measures have been implemented on the ward, including “enhanced monitoring, treatment of identified contacts and ongoing support from specialist teams,” BBC Wales reported.

As the NHS explains on its website, “scabies is an itchy rash caused by mites. It’s spread through close skin contact, and anyone can get it. It should be treated quickly to stop it spreading”.

The symptoms of scabies include intense itching, particularly at night, and a raised rash or spots that may appear red. The website also noted “scabies rash usually spreads across the whole body, apart from the head and neck. It often affects skin between the fingers, around the wrists, under the arms, and around the waist, groin and bottom”

“People with a weakened immune system can sometimes get a rare and very contagious type of scabies called crusted scabies. The main symptom is a crusted, flaky rash that often affects the elbows, knees, hands and feet,” it also explained. The NHS also stated scabies spreads through close skin contact, including sexual contact.

The condition cannot be contracted from pets. Individuals who live or work in close proximity within nurseries, university halls of residence or nursing homes face a higher risk, reports the Express.

Adults and youngsters aged five years or above can return to work or school immediately after beginning treatment. However, it’s crucial to stay away from close contact with others for the initial 24 hours.

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The UK is set to be hit by soaring temperatures from Wednesday, with some expected to climb as high as 35C in some areas, the Met Office has said

The Department for Work and Pensions has today provided a fresh update regarding proposals which could see regulations altered concerning an ‘upper temperature’ threshold for workplaces. The UK is set to experience soaring temperatures from Wednesday, with some forecasts predicting highs of 35C in certain regions, according to the Met Office.

Areas of southern England could witness temperature peaks of approximately 33C on Wednesday and 34C on Thursday, with the highest figures of 35C anticipated for isolated locations on Friday and Saturday. By the weekend, the warm conditions are expected to extend to northern parts of the country, with increasingly humid weather and a rising possibility of showers or isolated thunderstorms.

The emerging pattern of temperatures exceeding 35C in the UK has prompted calls for a maximum workplace heat threshold for health purposes, as exists in numerous countries. MPs have tabled parliamentary written questions to the DWP on the matter, with Labour’s Dr Peter Prinsley asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden: “If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a mandated upper temperature limit in the workplace, including those working outside.”

Alex Mayer also asked Mr McFadden: “What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of heatwaves on workers in outdoor and high-temperature workplaces.”

In response, Sir Stephen Timms stated that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was considering changes to the rules in this area, with news coming later this year. He said: “The HSE is Great Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. There is a legal duty for employers to fully assess the risks to workers from extreme heat.

“HSE provides guidance for employers to manage the risk to workers, including from extreme heat. HSE issued a press release on Friday, June 19, to raise awareness of the risks to workers, to help workplaces in the current hot weather. This year, HSE will also be launching a public consultation on proposed changes to the Approved Code of Practice for the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, including those relating to workplace temperature.”

During last month’s heatwave, the HSE signalled its position by urging employers to ‘act now’ to protect workers as temperatures soared

, reports the Express. It stated that employers are required to plan for and support those working in extreme heat, with the regulator noting that doing so would keep workers healthy and safe while also maintaining productivity.

The HSE reminded employers that they are legally obliged to assess risks to the health and safety of their workers, including those posed by extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves. While there is no legal maximum temperature for workplaces, heat is classed as a hazard and should be treated like other hazards.

John Rowe, Deputy Director for Technical Support and Engagement for the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Last summer should have been a wake-up call for all employers. If we continue to experience hotter summers this could have a big impact on the workforce of this country, affecting everything from health of workers to productivity on construction sites.

“The risks to workers from extreme heat must be properly assessed. Practical steps can include providing adequate ventilation and shade and allowing enough breaks for workers to cool down. We provide detailed guidance on our website hse.gov.uk.

“We know all employers are under pressure and we don’t want to add to their burden but it’s vital they think hard now about simple and cheap measures they can put in place to support workers should we see extreme heat again this summer.”

Simple measures to consider include:

• Making sure workplace windows can be opened or closed to prevent hot air from circulating or building up
• Using blinds or reflective film on workplace windows to shade workers from the sun
• Placing workstations away from direct sunlight and heat sources
• Putting insulation around hot pipes and machinery
• Offering flexible working patterns so workers can work at cooler times of the day
• Providing free access to drinking water
• Relaxing dress codes if possible
• Providing weather-appropriate personal protective equipment
• Encouraging workers to remove personal protective equipment when resting (ideally in shaded areas) to cool off
• Sharing information about the symptoms of heat stress and what to do if someone is affected

US forces said they hit about 90 targets across Iran with President Donald Trump warning the conflict could “get much worse”.

Iran responded to a second day of renewed attacks by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar early on Thursday.

US Central Command said the strikes were aimed at hitting Iran’s ability “to threaten freedom of navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz.

Renewed hostilities broke out on Tuesday after Iran targeted three tankers in the vital waterway, which remains a flashpoint in the fragile truce.

“U.S. forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execute operations directed by the Commander in Chief,” the statement from Central Command said.

Trump also reposted on his Truth Social platform a picture of buildings in flames billowing thick black smoke, purportedly to be in Iran, with the message: “This is retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships. If it happens again, it will get much worse.”

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld an Illinois ban on semiautomatic weapons, keeping in place a law passed largely in response to a deadly Independence Day parade shooting.

The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturns a lower court decision that found the ban unconstitutional. The 2-1 appellate decision found that the Illinois law does not violate the Second Amendment, and its restrictions are “consistent with the principles that underpin our Nation’s tradition of firearm regulation.”

“Whether to adopt them is thus a decision reposed in our elected representatives, and we reverse,” the appeals court said.

The majority opinion also pushes back on claims made by the plaintiffs that semiautomatic weapons are not at fault for mass shootings.

“The undisputed record evidence undercuts that claim, showing that the presence of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem,” the opinion states.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said in a post on X that the decision is “a victory in the fight to end gun violence that helps keep our communities safe.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association seeking to stop the ban, said that it is disappointed with the decision and plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

The gun trade group said it agrees with Chief Judge Michael Brennan’s dissent in which he wrote that the country prohibits governments from banning “firearms commonly owned for self-defense.”

“Because the people have overwhelmingly chosen the AR-15 rifle and its magazine as their weapon of choice, they are protected by the Second Amendment,” the judge’s dissent states.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act was signed into law in 2023 by Pritzker and bans AR-15 rifles and similar guns, large-capacity magazines and an assortment of attachments.

It came six months after a 2022 shooting in which a gunman on a rooftop in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park opened fire on a parade, killing seven people and injuring more than three dozen.

The law prompted immediate pushback from county sheriffs who said they refused to enforce what they considered an unconstitutional law, while gun owners and advocates sued.

In 2024, a federal judge overturned the ban, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.

The injunction was set to take effect 30 days after the judge’s decision. But that same day, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a notice of appeal, which ultimately led to a stay in the injunction.

Raoul said Thursday’s decision enhances public safety. “We have seen the damage that assault weapons and large-capacity magazines can inflict, and these weapons of war have no place in our communities,” he said in a statement.

Last month, the Supreme Court announced it will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles, often called assault weapons, violate the Second Amendment. In the fall, the court, which has expanded gun rights, is expected to hear appeals challenging a ban in the Chicago area, which predates the statewide law.