Actually, though, BWM, until the Homicide Act of 1957 which introduced a separate category of Capital Murder, murder was one of very few offences in UK Law where the trial judge had no discretion, but was mandated to impose the death penalty; which could possibly be overturned on appeal, or the offender could be reprieved by the Home Secretary if any vindicating circumstances should appear.

≈M≈

This purely in interests of accuracy, and not any attempt at moral justification.