Domestic abuser convicted of killing wife who jumped from bridge in Scotland

A man has been convicted of killing his wife after she took her own life following a campaign of domestic abuse, in what is the first prosecution of its kind in Scotland.

Kimberly Milne, 28, died after jumping from a motorway bridge in July 2023. Her husband Lee Milne, 39, from Dundee, had denied culpable homicide and a separate charge of domestic abuse, but was found guilty following a trial.

The high court in Glasgow heard from prosecutors that the couple had got together in late 2021, and Milne had abused Kimberly from soon into the relationship until the day she died.

The couple had married in 2022, and the court heard Kimberly had suffered significant domestic abuse in the 18 months leading up to her death. Milne was also convicted of engaging in a course of abusive conduct towards his wife.

Before her death, Kimberly had spoken to police about an incident in 2022 in which Milne choked her, the court heard.

“Lee and I were in his home and he went through my phone,” she had told officers.

“He saw messages from other men before we were together. He got angry and started to shout and swear at me.”

She said he had also called her offensive names, and added: “Immediately after this he put both hands around my neck and pinned me against the kitchen wall.

“After a while he swapped his hands, pressed his right forearm against my neck.

“A few seconds passed and he let go and started crying, saying how sorry he was.”

In another incident, in late 2022, Kimberly told police: “Lee repeatedly punched my ribs and I was begging him not to hurt me but he was not listening.

“I felt unsafe so I decided not to leave that night. I slept with a knife under my pillow as I was so frightened of him.”

The court heard that on one occasion, Milne pulled Kimberly to the ground by her hair, later apologising and claiming he was “not that type of guy”.

Milne had argued he was not responsible for Kimberly’s death, which he said was “a terrible loss” but said she had longstanding mental health issues, and had made suicide attempts

Speaking after the verdict, prosecutor Alex Prentice KC said: “It is obvious the quite far-reaching effect Kimberly’s death has had.

“They recognise that she had difficulties of her own, but the circumstances of the death brought great misery for the family, perhaps unlikely from which they will truly recover.”

The court was told Milne had a number of previous convictions for assault, resisting arrest and driving offences. He was remanded into custody and is due to be sentenced on 10 April.

“It will be obvious to you that these are very serious offences which have caused harm and upset to Kimberly’s grieving family,” the judge, Lady Drummond said, addressing Milne.

The case marks the first prosecution of its kind in Scotland. In England there has only ever been one conviction, after stalker Nicholas Allen pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his ex-partner Justene Reece in 2017.

• In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org