Family Pursues Justice After Tragic Student Death
The family of a teenage student who took her own life after enduring a campaign of abuse from her boyfriend is now taking legal action against their former solicitors. They are claiming £440,000 in damages, alleging that the lawyers negligently mishandled a landmark civil case against the man convicted of abusing her.
Emily Drouet, an 18-year-old law student, died in 2016 at her university halls of residence in Aberdeen. Her on-off boyfriend, Angus Milligan, later admitted to assaulting and abusing her, which included choking her, slapping her, and sending menacing messages. He was sentenced to 180 hours of community service.
A Civil Case Thrown Out
In July 2023, Emily's mother, Fiona Drouet, 52, lodged a civil case against Milligan under Scotland's 'loss of society' law. This legal provision allows families to seek compensation for the death of a relative resulting from negligence. However, the case was ultimately thrown out by the court.
Legal documents now reveal that the Drouet family is suing their former legal representatives, BTO Solicitors. They claim the firm was negligent for failing to progress the case within the crucial three-year time limit, a failure they describe as a 'breach of all contractual obligations'. The family pressed for the case to continue, but this final attempt failed in March 2024.
Settlement for Siblings and Charity Legacy
In a separate but related development, Emily's younger siblings, Calvin, 18, and Rachel, 21, were able to successfully sue Milligan. Because the time bar for their claims did not start until they turned 16, their case was not time-barred. It was settled in June for £20,000 each.
Following their daughter's death, Fiona Drouet and her husband established the charity EmilyTest, which is dedicated to tackling gender-based violence within educational institutions. Mrs Drouet had previously expressed her hope that a successful case would set a precedent, ensuring that suicides following domestic abuse are properly investigated and the perpetrators held responsible.
BTO Solicitors, the firm now being sued, has stated that the 'sums sued for are excessive'. They also contend that there was no substantial chance of proving Milligan's actions caused Emily to suffer a recognised psychiatric disorder. A legal debate on the matter is expected in the Scottish courts in the coming months.
