A man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the culpable homicide of his wife, who took her own life after suffering prolonged domestic abuse. The case is the first in Britain where a jury has convicted someone of killing an ex-partner through abuse without causing physical death.
Kimberly Milne, 28, died after jumping from a bridge in July 2023. Her estranged husband, Lee Milne, 40, from Dundee, was found guilty last month at the High Court in Glasgow. He had met her online in 2021 and married her the following year.
The court heard that Milne engaged in abusive conduct, isolating his wife, controlling her finances, and repeatedly choking her. When she attempted to end the relationship, he threatened suicide. On the night of her death, witnesses saw a “distraught” Kimberly “trapped” in his arms near the bridge.
Sentencing Milne, Judge Lady Drummond said an extended custodial sentence was the “only appropriate disposal” to protect the public. She noted that Milne continued to minimise his behaviour despite accepting some abuse. Kimberly's family, described as “devastated,” were present in court.
The judge ruled that Milne poses a “high risk of further offending,” and he will serve an additional three years on licence after release. Scotland's legal system treats culpable homicide similarly to manslaughter in England and Wales.
