A chilling insight into the mind of Robert Richens has been revealed once again, this time through a court ruling that will see him serve a longer prison sentence for the murder of Rachael Vaughan. The 35-year-old's distress at missing the latest Grand Theft Auto computer game was starkly juxtaposed with the horror of his crime, as he wept and lamented his fate after being arrested in May last year.
During a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday, 22 July 2026, Richens' minimum term was increased by three years and five months to 19 years and six months. This decision follows a referral by Attorney General Ellie Reeves under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
The prolonged and controlling behaviour exhibited by Richens towards Ms Vaughan is a disturbing aspect of this case. On the day of her death, she suffered multiple serious injuries during a violent and prolonged assault at her home in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. After committing the murder, Richens remained on the scene for several hours, attempting to clean up evidence before eventually leaving.
Footage from his arrest shows him crying and expressing regret over missing the latest Grand Theft Auto instalment while incarcerated – a stark contrast to the callous nature of his crime. In this 999 call, he admitted to having "done something quite serious" on the day of Ms Vaughan's murder.
The Attorney General has reacted strongly to the Court of Appeal's decision, stating that Richens had "brutally murdered Rachael Vaughan in her own home", the very place where she should have been safest. This echoes sentiments previously expressed by Detective Chief Inspector Stuart May of Thames Valley Police, who described Richens' actions as "heartless" and "merciless".