Abusive Husband Jailed 8 Years for Causing Wife’s Suicide

A court in Scotland has handed down an unprecedented ruling in a domestic abuse case connected to the death of a young woman who fell from a motorway bridge in Dundee.

Lee Milne, 40, was sentenced to eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of culpable homicide in the death of his wife, Kimberly Milne, 28. Kimberly Milne died in July 2023 after falling from a bridge over the A90 and being struck by several vehicles below.

Although Kimberly Milne jumped from the bridge herself, jurors determined that Lee Milne’s prolonged abuse played a direct role in her death. Prosecutors argued that his actions over an 18-month period created the circumstances that led to the fatal incident.

During the trial, the court heard detailed evidence describing a pattern of escalating violence. Prosecutors said the abuse included choking, pulling her hair, and repeated physical assaults. Witness testimony and CCTV footage from the night of her death showed Kimberly Milne attempting to move away from him and appearing frightened.

At the time of the incident, Lee Milne had been released on bail and was under a court order prohibiting him from contacting his wife.

In addition to the culpable homicide conviction, Lee Milne was also found guilty of separate domestic abuse offenses. After completing his prison sentence, he will remain under supervision for three years.

Officials with Scotland’s Crown Office described the case as a landmark because it examined whether an abuser can be held criminally responsible when a partner dies after taking their own life.

Evidence presented in court included a statement Kimberly Milne gave to police following an earlier assault in 2023. In the statement, she said Lee Milne repeatedly punched her in the ribs while she pleaded with him to stop. She told officers she felt so unsafe that she chose not to leave the home that night and instead slept with a knife under her pillow because she was afraid of him.

During sentencing, the judge said Kimberly Milne had been pushed to “a point of despair” as a result of her husband’s behavior.

The court also heard that Lee Milne had previously been placed on the sex offenders’ register after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young boys.

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