Stacey Hogg murder must force 'hard look' at punishment of domestic abusers
Lee Inglis killed Stacey Hogg while subject to a restriction of liberty order
Scotland must take a “hard look” at the use of community sentences for domestic abusers in the wake of the murder of Stacey Hogg, who was killed by her former partner who was on a restriction of liberty order for an earlier assault when he stabbed her to death in her home.
Lee Inglis killed Stacey Hogg at her house in Hawick in June after learning she was in a new relationship, the High Court in Edinburgh heard on Friday.
Inglis, 39, admitted murdering the mother-of-three by striking her repeatedly with a knife and causing “catastrophic injuries”.
The couple had a “turbulent” relationship which ended in 2024, when he assaulted her with a knife for which he was later convicted and handed a community payback order and restriction of liberty order which was still in place at the time of the murder.
The case has been referred to the Scottish Government’s Domestic Homicides and Suicide Review, which seeks to learn lessons from cases where domestic abuse has led to death, it is understood.
Dr Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid said “so many things” had to change to protect women from their abusers.
She added: “We need to look hard at the use of community disposals - community work orders for example - and whether they are safe, given the enormous number of them given out as domestic abuse sentences.
“There are so many things that need to change, but children and women living with domestic will be safer and have more confidence in the Justice system when they act on what we know are high-risk flags: coercive and controlling behaviours, nonfatal strangulation, imminent or recent separation, sexual assault, previous offences, child contact decisions.
“Across our systems—police, prosecutors, courts, social work—must pay more attention to the libraries of evidence we have about these elements of domestic abuse and respond accordingly. They must respond robustly and immediately to breaches of bail and protective orders and use the tools that technology now offers to monitor abusers’ actions and whereabouts.”
Yesterday, the Scottish Government confirmed GPS tracking devices will be used to manage offenders in a pilot scheme due to start in central Scotland in December.
The pilot scheme was announced after John Swinney met with families who had lost loved ones to domestic abuse, including the mother and brother of Stacy Hunter, who was murdered by her husband in August at her home in Renfrewshire while he was on bail for assaulting her.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised that domestic abusers have not been excluded from the Scottish Government proposals on the early release of prisoners, which have been designed to bring down spiralling number of inmates. Victim Support Scotland earlier said that releasing perpetrators of sexual abuse and violent crime, including domestic abuse, who have not been rehabilitated, posed an increased risk to victims.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, Prosecutor Leanne Cross KC told the court Inglis made threats towards Ms Hogg should she become involved with anyone else.
The court heard she began a new relationship in the months before her death and told Inglis on June 24 this year that she was seeing someone else.
Ms Cross said Inglis then became “abusive and threatening” via text, saying “you shouldn’t have told me Stacey” and “you know what’s coming”.
She said Ms Hogg was scared and went to her mother’s home to wait until Inglis’s curfew began at 7pm. She then returned to her own home and later went to bed.
The court heard that at 7.01am on June 25, a Ring doorbell captured Inglis heading in the direction of Ms Hogg’s home, carrying a backpack, and he was captured on CCTV arriving there at 7.04am.
Ms Cross told the court Inglis entered the house through the backdoor and that it is likely Ms Hogg came downstairs from her bedroom at around 7.06am where she encountered the accused and ended up in the bathroom.
She said: “Numerous defensive injuries suggest that she struggled with the accused, but the injuries to her neck were catastrophic.”
Ms Cross said Inglis, who lived with his parents, then returned to their home where he told his mother “phone the police because I have just killed Stacey”.
She immediately did so, after noticing his clothing was bloodstained and that there was a blooded knife on the kitchen counter.
Inglis, a part-time groundsman, was arrested by officers who went to his parents’ house.
The court heard a full psychiatric assessment of Inglis was carried out that day.
Ms Cross said: “He said that he had been triggered by the deceased’s disclosure of a new partner.”
The court heard the examining forensic psychiatrist described the accused as having a personality disorder but that he was fit to be detained and attend court.
The court heard Inglis also had two convictions from December 2021 which related to Ms Hogg, as well as other convictions for assaults.
Lord Ewing deferred sentence until November 5 at the High Court in Edinburgh pending a criminal justice social work report.
He told Inglis: “There is only one sentence that can be imposed for murder, that of life imprisonment.
“I want to consider the criminal justice social work report and the victim impact statements from Ms Hogg’s parents and children.”
Detective Inspector Ross Duthie said: “Our thoughts remain with Stacey’s family and friends as they continue to come to terms with what has happened. Nothing can make up for their loss, but I hope this outcome brings them some form of comfort.
“This was a horrific incident which understandably caused a lot of concern in the local area, and I would like to thank the community for their patience and assistance throughout our investigation.
“Inglis is a violent and dangerous individual who will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.
“We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls, and I would like to assure anyone suffering at the hands of an abuser not to suffer in silence.”
Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, said: “A violent offender like this should never have been free to offend again and ultimately brutally murder a woman in her home.
“Cases like this are happening too often and [First Minister] John Swinney must now get tough on violent thugs.
“He must toughen prison sentences, end early release and finally take action, not just words, to stop soaring levels of violence against women and girls across Scotland.”