Lee Milne, 40, from Dundee, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the culpable homicide of his wife, Kimberly Milne, who took her own life in July 2023. The case is a landmark in British legal history, marking the first time a jury has convicted someone of killing an ex-partner through prolonged domestic abuse without physically causing their death.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Milne subjected Kimberly to a campaign of abuse, including choking, controlling her finances, isolating her from family, and threatening suicide when she tried to end the relationship. On the night of her death, witnesses saw a 'distraught' Kimberly 'trapped' in Milne's arms before she fell from a bridge over the A90 road.
Sentencing Milne, Judge Lady Drummond said he posed a 'high risk of further offending' and imposed an additional three years on licence. She noted that Kimberly's family described her as 'one in a million' and were 'devastated' by her death. The judge emphasised that the abuse was 'not only physical', including bullying and cutting her off from family.
Milne met Kimberly on the night of her death despite bail conditions banning contact. Police had been investigating abuse allegations after Kimberly confided in a mental health nurse about 'mental torture'. In one incident, Milne choked her and spat in her mouth; in another, she slept with a knife under her pillow for protection.
Defence counsel Mark Stewart KC cited Kimberly's history of mental health issues and Milne's own childhood trauma, but the judge ruled that an extended sentence was necessary to protect the public. Kimberly's family embraced in court as the sentence was delivered.
