Jane Andrews: The Royal Dresser Who Killed Her Lover

She dressed a duchess, attended royal events, and seemed to live a charmed life. Then, in May 2000, Jane Andrews crossed a line that turned her into a tabloid fixture—and a convicted murderer. This article looks at the case, the trial, and the arguments that continue to divide opinion about whether she was a victim of abuse or a calculated killer.

Born: 1967 ·
Murder date: 2000 ·
Conviction year: 2001 ·
Sentence: Life imprisonment ·
Release year(s): 2015, 2019 ·
Current status: Whereabouts unknown

Nine key facts, one pattern: a life transformed from royal service to a murder conviction.

What happened to Jane Andrews?

Jane Andrews was a royal dresser to Sarah, Duchess of York, from the late 1980s until shortly before her arrest (BBC News). In May 2000 she killed her lover, Thomas Cressman, in his London flat. The prosecution said she attacked him with a cricket bat and then stabbed him (Fox News). Andrews claimed she acted in self-defence after years of abuse (Yahoo Entertainment).

Who was Tommy Cressman?

• Thomas Cressman was a furniture designer (Wikipedia)
• He began a relationship with Andrews around 1998 (The Independent)
• He was killed in his London flat in 2000 (Fox News)
• His murder attracted significant media attention because of Andrews’ royal connection (Yahoo Entertainment)

The implication: the case has always been about what the jury heard versus what Andrews claimed happened behind closed doors.

Who was Tommy Cressman?

Thomas Cressman, often called Tommy, was a furniture designer living in London. He met Jane Andrews through a mutual friend in 1998 and they began a relationship. Friends described him as kind and gentle. The relationship lasted about two years before the fatal confrontation. (The Independent)

The catch: almost everything known about Cressman’s character comes from prosecution witnesses—Andrews’ defence painted a very different picture of a controlling, abusive partner.

The pattern: the asymmetry of silence defines this case.

How many years did Jane Andrews serve?

Andrews was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 12 years (The Independent). She served about 14 years before being released on parole in 2015. She was recalled to prison for reasons that have not been publicly detailed, then released again in 2019. Total time served: approximately 14–15 years. (Yahoo Entertainment)

The pattern: a life sentence meant she could be returned to prison at any time if parole conditions were breached—and that’s exactly what happened in 2015.

Where is Jane Andrews today?

After her second release in 2019, Andrews was placed under parole supervision in the UK. Her exact address has never been made public. She has kept an extremely low profile, and no confirmed sightings or interviews have surfaced since. (Wikipedia)

The implication: for a woman who once lived in the glare of royal protocol, anonymity may be the only freedom left—but it also means the public record remains frozen in 2001.

What was Jane Andrews’ relationship with Sarah Ferguson?

Andrews joined the household of Sarah, Duchess of York, in the late 1980s as a personal dresser (The Independent). She accompanied Ferguson on overseas trips and was considered a confidante. Ferguson later expressed shock at the murder and has reportedly expressed sympathy for Andrews’ abuse claims. After the conviction, the professional relationship ended. (Yahoo Entertainment)

The implication: the betrayal of trust overshadowed the case.

Is there a documentary about Jane Andrews?

In 2026, Apple TV+ released a documentary series titled The Murder of Thomas Cressman, which re-examines the case and Andrews’ abuse allegations. ITV previously aired a drama called The Lady based on her story. Several podcasts and news documentaries have also covered the case. (Yahoo Entertainment)

The pattern: each retelling renews the debate—was Andrews a manipulative murderer or a victim of a justice system that refused to believe a woman who fought back?

The implication: the timeline highlights the gaps in public knowledge.

The pattern: the certainties are few, the questions many.

“Andrews was released on parole in 2015 following another appeal. She was released again in 2019.”

— Town & Country magazine reporting on the timeline

“In 2001, after being convicted of the murder of her boyfriend Thomas Cressman, she asked Justice for Women for help in appealing her sentence on grounds of childhood sexual abuse.”

— Julie Bindel, Substack opinion piece

“Jane Dawn Elizabeth Andrews (born 1967) was a royal dresser for Sarah, Duchess of York.”

— Wikipedia entry

For the UK parole board, the case remains a cautionary tale about balancing public safety with rehabilitation. For the public, the central question endures: was justice served, or did the system fail a woman who never had a fair chance to tell her full story?