A domestic abuser who was convicted of causing the death of his wife after she took her own life following an 18-month campaign of abuse has been jailed for eight years.
Lee Milne, 40, was found guilty of culpable homicide after his wife, Kimberly Bruce (or Milne), 28, fell from an overpass and was struck by a vehicle on the A90 Kingsway West in Dundee on Thursday, 27 July 2023.
Police said her death followed a “shocking” pattern of behaviour from Milne that left Ms Bruce “terrified”. In the hours before she died, Milne was found to have been driving erratically when she was in a car with him, shouting at her and seizing hold of her.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Milne was jailed for eight years, alongside a three-year extended sentence, meaning he will be on licence following his release. His conviction is believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland.
In a victim impact statement from her family, the court heard that Ms Bruce was “a much-loved daughter, sister, aunt, and they are devastated by her death”.
The judge said: “Nothing I can do or say can bring her back or ease their grief.”
Milne was also found guilty of a number of domestic abuse offences committed against Ms Bruce between January 2022 and July 2023. These included physically and verbally abusing her, coercing her to move in with him and marry him, attempting to cut off her contact with friends and family, and controlling her finances.
On one occasion, in November 2022, Milne got angry when she asked to be taken home and struck her, causing her to fall and hit her head on a wall, knocking her unconscious.
On an occasion in May 2023, Milne seized her by the throat when she asked to be taken home, and choked her and shouted at her, causing her to run to another room and barricade herself in with a table.
After forcing himself in, he repeatedly punched and bit her, and threatened to hit her with a mirror that he then threw against a wall.
CCTV footage from around the Kingsway area of Dundee on the day Ms Bruce died captured Milne’s aggressive behaviour towards his wife directly before her suicide.
Footage showed her cowering from Milne while he shouted at her, walking away as he drove at her, and hiding behind a wall and trailing slowly behind him as he led the way.
Following his conviction, Detective Chief Inspector Craig Kelly said: “Our thoughts are with Kimberly’s family and friends following this verdict. They have dealt with her tragic loss with great dignity, and hopefully, this outcome will provide a degree of closure.
“This was an extremely complex investigation and involved very close work with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure that Lee Milne has been held accountable for causing the death of Kimberly.
“Our investigation found that his behaviour in the time leading up to Kimberly’s death was truly shocking and placed his partner in such fear that she took a course of action to get away from him, which led to her death.
“She was very clearly terrified of him on that night. It is a tragedy that she lost her life as a consequence.
“Our investigation also uncovered a series of domestic offences against Kimberly over an extended period of time, exposing him as a cruel, manipulative and violent man.
“Our officers are determined to ensure women and girls live free from violence and abuse. We are relentless in our focus on tackling domestic abuse. It will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will be held accountable.”
After the trial, it was revealed that Milne had been convicted of sexually assaulting two boys aged 10 or 11 in Forfar between July and August 2024, a year after the death of his wife.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
