The harrowing drama Responsible Child is now available to watch on Netflix and is based on a real-life case involving two brothers
Responsible Child is based on a true story(Image: BBC)
The gripping film Responsible Child, now available on Netflix, is based on a real-life murder case.
Originally broadcast on the BBC in 2019, the drama tells the story of a 12 year old boy charged with the murder of his mother’s partner.
The plot is rooted in the chilling 2014 case of Jerome and Joshua Ellis, who were accused of stabbing their stepfather to death.
At the time of the brutal knife attack, Jerome was just 14 years old, while his brother Joshua was 23.
Their victim, Neil Tulley, was stabbed over 60 times while he was “asleep or nearly asleep” on the sofa, in an attack that almost resulted in decapitation.
Both brothers denied murder but admitted to manslaughter at Guildford Crown Court. Joshua was convicted of murder and Jerome was found guilty of manslaughter due to loss of control.
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The brothers said Mr Tulley, who was dating their mother Marie, had threatened to kill Joshua a year prior to the incident.
Although he was arrested and charged with making threats to kill, Mr Tulley was later acquitted.
Following his acquittal, the already complex and dysfunctional family dynamics worsened.
On the night of the murder, both brothers armed themselves with kitchen knives before launching their attack on Mr Tulley.
After the incident, they fled but were eventually discovered by a member of the public.
Responsible Child is on Netflix(Image: BBC)
Joshua told police at the time that they had been living in fear of what Mr Tulley might do to their family and could no longer endure the abuse.
The judge described it as a “tragic case”, noting that Jerome had been neglected and was living in an abusive environment.
Jerome received a six-year detention sentence, while Joshua was handed a minimum of 14 years behind bars.
This means Jerome is now a free man, believed to be living under a new identity. As for Joshua, he continues to serve his sentence.
Responsible Child is available on Netflix.
