By Peter John

A Scottish court has handed down a landmark ruling, jailing a man for culpable homicide after finding his sustained domestic abuse drove his wife to take her own life.

Lee Milne, 39, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Friday after the High Court in Glasgow found him responsible for the death of his wife, Kimberly Milne, 28.

Kimberly died in July 2023 after jumping from a bridge over a main road in Dundee, where she was struck by a passing car.

The court heard that Lee Milne had subjected her to months of sustained physical and psychological abuse, culminating in the hours before her death.

Prosecutors described a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour that left the victim increasingly vulnerable.

According to Laura Buchan of Scotland’s Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the abuse was a significant contributing factor in Kimberly’s death.

“Lee Milne physically and psychologically abused Kimberly Bruce (Milne) and our evidence showed that this abuse was a significant contributing factor in her death,” Buchan said.

She added that he had “deliberately and ruthlessly exploited Kimberly’s vulnerabilities,” making him criminally responsible for her decision to end her life.

Chilling final moments

Closed-circuit television footage presented in court showed Kimberly in distress on the day of her death.

She was seen cowering as her husband shouted at her, attempting to distance herself while he drove towards her, and hiding behind a wall before following him at a distance.

When the pair reached a flyover bridge, she climbed over the barrier and jumped.

Pattern of abuse

Presiding judge Lorna Drummond detailed the extent of the abuse, which spanned approximately 18 months.

“The abuse was not only physical,” Drummond said. “You belittled her by shouting and swearing at her, calling her names. You tried to cut her off from her family, checked her phone, restricted her movements, and controlled her access to money and transport.”

The court heard that the violence included punching, choking and strangling, alongside emotional and financial control.

Legal milestone

The conviction marks the first time in Scotland that an offender has been held criminally responsible for the suicide of a partner, setting a significant legal precedent in cases involving coercive control and domestic abuse.

Prosecutors said the outcome sends a strong message that abusers can be held accountable not only for direct acts of violence, but also for patterns of behaviour that drive victims to take their own lives.

The case is expected to have far-reaching implications for how domestic abuse and coercive control are prosecuted in Scotland moving forward.