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The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Crown Office fears over new non-fatal strangulation law
The committee is currently considering a petition from Fiona Drouet, whose daughter Emily took her own life after being slapped and choked by her partner, Angus Milligan. They are due to hear from Ms Drouet, as well as prosecutors and police and independent experts on Wednesday. Scotland is the only part of the UK without specific legislation. Westminster recently amended the Domestic Abuse Act to introduce a standalone offence of strangulation or suffocation in England and Wales. In her petition to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Drouet told MSPs that non-fatal strangulation was 'a significant predictor of homicide in abusive relationships, with victims being eight times more likely to be killed'. READ MORE: Dr Emma Forbes, National Lead for Domestic Abuse at COPFS, told the committee: 'Scots law currently criminalises non-fatal strangulation and there is not a gap in the law that was present in the other identified jurisdictions to necessitate a standalone offence of non-fatal strangulation. 'Scotland does not need to replicate other jurisdictions in creating a standalone offence to 'keep pace'; rather, it should reflect the fact that other jurisdictions are catching up with the Scottish approach. 'This is not a rationale to stand still, and there remains significant work to ensure an effective and robust criminal justice response to non-fatal strangulation.' Dr Forbes warned that introducing a standalone offence could mean such incidents would not be included as part of the pattern of abuse under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act (DASA), making it harder to build a comprehensive case and secure convictions. She said the current law in Scotland already provides 'unlimited sentencing power where the offence is prosecuted as a common law offence and a maximum sentence of 14 years when prosecuted as part of a DASA charge'. 'There is no requirement to prove any injury or harm as a result of the strangulation provided it is intentional,' she said. Police Scotland expressed similar concerns. While acknowledging the severity of non-fatal strangulation, officers warned that creating a new offence could 'minimise opportunities to build a DASA case'. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson told the committee: 'From an investigative perspective, all evidential opportunities would be considered at every incident of non-fatal strangulation — such as a forensic medical examination to document injuries, along with scenes of crime officers seizing evidential samples and photographing injuries. 'The severity of the incident would be supported by a statement from a medical professional, which would influence the charge libelled.' However, he warned that treating non-fatal strangulation in isolation or presenting it to the court as a single incident 'could minimise opportunities to build a DASA case — to truly reflect the abuse experienced by a victim or survivor and the risk presented by a perpetrator'. The ACC stressed that non-fatal strangulation is already captured by existing offences, but said more must be done to improve public awareness. 'There is a need for a greater societal awareness on the use of non-fatal strangulation by perpetrators — not just in the context of offending, but including the psychological harm that it can cause, and its use as a tool by perpetrators in wider patterns of abuse.' The committee is also due to hear from Professor Cath White, Medical Director of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, who supports creating a standalone offence due to the extreme psychological and physical harm involved. She cited research showing that more than half of women killed by a partner had previously been strangled. 'It is well recognised that non-fatal strangulation can quickly have devastating consequences — including stroke, carotid artery dissection, nerve damage, with minimal force. In addition to any neurological or vascular damage leading to possible cognitive and behavioural changes, there is also the potential for significant psychological trauma.' She added: 'There is increasing recognition of the increase in suicide by those subjected to domestic abuse, including non-fatal strangulation. 'My belief is that by making non-fatal strangulation a stand-alone offence, it raises awareness of the crime amongst professionals — health as well as criminal justice — and the public, making it more likely that it will be treated with the seriousness that is required.' READ MORE: Ms Drouet's daughter Emily met Milligan at Aberdeen University's Hillhead halls of residence. Within weeks, she was being regularly physically and verbally abused. Her family, unaware of the violence, only saw a photograph of her injuries after she died by suicide in March 2016. At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Milligan admitted choking the 18-year-old, pushing her against a desk and slapping her eight days before her death. He was seen on CCTV leaving her room minutes before she was found dead. Sheriff Malcolm Garden branded Milligan 'controlling and ultimately violent', but said he was powerless to jail him. Milligan was sentenced to 12 months' supervision and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order — later reduced to 120 hours.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mum of killed boys 'reaching out' to abuse victims
The mother of two children killed by their father in a deliberate house fire has said she hopes her autobiography will "reach out" to victims of domestic abuse. Claire Throssell's sons, Paul and Jack, died alongside their father - Ms Throssell's ex-husband - on an unsupervised parental visit to the home in Penistone in October 2014. Her book, called For My Boys, is scheduled for release in October. "It's not healed anything, but I felt that I had to give a true, raw, honest account of what domestic abuse is like," she said. "People don't realise when you live in abuse, it's every second of every day." Ms Throssell and Darren Sykes had been divorced for two weeks when he lured the boys to the attic to play with trains he had bought them, before setting fires around the house. He then barricaded them inside with him. Paul and his father died in the house, while Jack was taken to hospital and died days later. Ms Throssell has since campaigned to stop dangerous parents having unsafe access to their children, helping to pass the Domestic Abuse Act in 2011 and being awarded an MBE. She said writing the book had been emotional, and she had used "countless boxes of tissues" and sometimes "couldn't even see the page for tears". "There's hundreds of books out there about how to wean [children], how to bring them up, and how to get them to sleep," she said. "No expert has ever written a book about how to live without your children - now I know why." However, she called the book a "lasting testimony" to Jack, 12, and Paul, nine. "Whenever I do anything now, I do it for those two beautiful eyes - their eyes made the stars look dull and the sun look boring. "They could've stood on my shoulders and reached the stars, and all that was taken away." She said she also wanted to reach other families who were suffering from domestic abuse. "The biggest power an abuser has is isolation, because you think 'it's only me that's going through this, I must be doing something wrong'," she said. "I've always felt I need to reach out to these women and say 'I see you, I hear you, I believe you, and now I'm going to support you'. "Nobody ever did with Jack and Paul, or myself." If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can visit BBC Action Line for support. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Mother to hold vigil for sons killed by father Boys' fire deaths 'not predictable' Mum 'confident' of law change after sons' death
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Penistone mum of sons killed by father in fire writes new book
The mother of two children killed by their father in a deliberate house fire has said she hopes her autobiography will "reach out" to victims of domestic Throssell's sons, Paul and Jack, died alongside their father - Ms Throssell's ex-husband - on an unsupervised parental visit to the home in Penistone in October book, called For My Boys, is scheduled for release in October."It's not healed anything, but I felt that I had to give a true, raw, honest account of what domestic abuse is like," she said. "People don't realise when you live in abuse, it's every second of every day."Ms Throssell and Darren Sykes had been divorced for two weeks when he lured the boys to the attic to play with trains he had bought them, before setting fires around the then barricaded them inside with and his father died in the house, while Jack was taken to hospital and died days Throssell has since campaigned to stop dangerous parents having unsafe access to their children, helping to pass the Domestic Abuse Act in 2011 and being awarded an MBE. 'Lasting testimony' She said writing the book had been emotional, and she had used "countless boxes of tissues" and sometimes "couldn't even see the page for tears"."There's hundreds of books out there about how to wean [children], how to bring them up, and how to get them to sleep," she said."No expert has ever written a book about how to live without your children - now I know why."However, she called the book a "lasting testimony" to Jack, 12, and Paul, nine."Whenever I do anything now, I do it for those two beautiful eyes - their eyes made the stars look dull and the sun look boring."They could've stood on my shoulders and reached the stars, and all that was taken away."She said she also wanted to reach other families who were suffering from domestic abuse."The biggest power an abuser has is isolation, because you think 'it's only me that's going through this, I must be doing something wrong'," she said."I've always felt I need to reach out to these women and say 'I see you, I hear you, I believe you, and now I'm going to support you'."Nobody ever did with Jack and Paul, or myself." If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can visit BBC Action Line for support. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Telegraph
‘No questions. No warnings. I was wrongly arrested in my own home'
A woman was arrested and handcuffed in her own home after her mentally ill mother suffered a muscle spasm but told carers she thought she had been strangled. Two officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary detained the 43-year-old, who helps look after her mother, on suspicion of non-fatal strangulation after a welfare check was requested. The woman – whom The Telegraph is calling Claire to protect her mother's privacy – was subsequently de-arrested after a senior officer arrived and assessed the situation. But she said the incident left her traumatised and further exacerbated her mother's condition. It comes just weeks after the same force arrested the parents of a nine-year-old girl for complaining about their daughter's primary school in a WhatsApp group. The couple were detained by six officers and spent eight hours in a cell following their arrest on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications. Following a five-week investigation, police decided to take no further action. This latest case will further fuel concern that police are failing to apply common sense when dealing with the public. Daughter 'accused of obstruction' Claire, who lives with her mother and acts as her health and welfare attorney, said the case should worry anyone who cares for a vulnerable loved one, as it suggested police training was inadequate. The alarm was raised when her 81-year-old mother, who suffers from a serious psychiatric illness, told one of her carers she had been strangled – in order to describe spasms she was experiencing in her neck. It was not the first time the pensioner, whose English is not perfect, had made similar comments about pain experienced in her neck. The care agency attempted to log the remark with social services but, because it was Good Friday, they were not able to get hold of anyone. Instead, they passed it on to police, expecting officers to carry out a basic welfare check. However, two female officers then arrived at the home and informed Claire she was being arrested on suspicion of non-fatal strangulation, an offence under the Domestic Abuse Act. Claire said she tried to reason with the officers and explain that her mother was seriously unwell and any trauma would further upset her. She said she requested the presence of a doctor and a more senior police officer – but was accused of obstruction and placed in handcuffs. 'Our home became a source of trauma' Eventually, a sergeant arrived at the address and Claire was de-arrested. But she said the situation left her and her mother extremely distressed. Because Claire works in financial services, she also had to declare the arrest to her employer and could have faced disciplinary action. The exchange was captured on CCTV, which was installed at the property to help with her mother's care. Claire accused the police of a lack of empathy and said officers needed more training in how to deal with cases involving the mentally vulnerable. She lodged a formal complaint with Hertfordshire Constabulary and said she was also willing to take the matter up with the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
NDTV
21-04-2025
- NDTV
Sex Education Class Advising Teenagers About 'Choking' Leads To Furore In UK
A local council in the UK has been caught in the middle of a raging controversy after it showed a sex education PowerPoint presentation to teenagers, talking about choking a partner and how consent was necessary for the said 'sexual' act. According to a report in The Times, the material, funded by Bridgend County Borough Council in south Wales was intended for PSHE (Personal, Social, and Health Education) lessons at secondary schools. "Consent should also happen every time sexual choking is an option, not just the first time," the presentation provided by Assia, the council's domestic abuse service, stated. "It is never OK to start choking someone without asking them first and giving them space to say no. Make it clear that they have a right to say no if they don't want to be choked, and their no should be respected and if it's not respected that is sexual assault," it added. As the controversy snowballed, the council denied that they had funded education which "taught children to consent to damaging sexual behaviour". "The suggestion that children are being taught to consent to damaging sexual behaviour is simply not true," said a spokesperson. "All pastoral advice used by local schools is carefully designed to be age-appropriate, and to encourage teenagers who are maturing into young adults to develop healthy, respectful relationships where there is no abuse of any kind." 'Deeply concerning' While the material was intended as educational, Claire Waxman, London's victims' commissioner, described it as "deeply concerning". "It is deeply concerning to hear the normalisation of choking and strangulation, which need to be called out as dangerous behaviours. The Domestic Abuse Act has even recognised this, making non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence in 2021," said Ms Waxman. She added that children were being exposed to dangerous content "far too young" and that schools needed to ensure that they were delivering the right information using "reputable organisations and experts". Michael Conroy, the founder of Men at Work told the publication that teaching choking to impressionable students was not sex education but "advocacy for porn industry". "Imagine you are a 14-year-old girl and you have told your boyfriend you don't want to be choked but then an authority figure comes into school and tells you it is OK," said Mr Conroy.
