Non-fatal strangulation on the rise in Scotland. prosecutors warn

The dangerous act of non-fatal strangulation is on the rise, a top Scottish prosecutor has warned. Laura Buchan, legal director with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the behaviour was becoming more common in both sexual activity and in domestic abuse cases. Buchan spoke out after a landmark case against Lee Milne, 40, who was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of killing his wife Kimberly when she jumped to her death from a bridge following an 18 month abusive campaign. The trial heard how 28-year-old had sent a text message detailing how Milne had strangled her to the point of unconsciousness in the weeks leading up to her death. Strangulation is the second most common method for women to be murdered in the UK, after using a knife or other sharp weapon according to the COPFS. Scotland is the only country in the UK that does not have specific legislation to address non-fatal strangulation (NFS), after England and Wales made it a crime in 2022, followed by Northern Ireland in 2023. First Minister John Swinney said in December 2024 that he would consider introducing such legislation if there was found to be a gap in the existing law bu