Swinney to raise calls for review into abused woman’s death with Lord Advocate

Calls for a new investigation into the death of a young woman who died after being abused by her partner will be brought to the attention of Scotland’s top law officer, the First Minister has said.

John Swinney vowed to raise the calls from Demi Hannaway’s family with the Lord Advocate.

The 23-year-old, from Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, died in May 2021 following mental and physical abuse by her partner Andrew Brown.

An investigation concluded Ms Hannaway took her own life.

But her parents have called for a re-examination of her death as they dispute it was a result of suicide.

They have criticised Police Scotland’s handling of the investigation and have said officers were too quick to conclude Ms Hannaway killed herself.

They have lodged a formal complaint against the force, including claims that police took an hour to arrive at her home, that Brown told officers it was “all his fault”, and that there was evidence of a violent struggle in the house.

The family said after police left, they found a smashed-up phone with the Sim card missing under her bed.

Labour MSP Claire Baker asked the First Minister if he would back the family’s calls for a fresh probe.

During First Minister’s Questions, she said: “Demi’s parents are calling for an examination into her death, which was recorded as suicide, and have lodged a formal complaint about the police response saying there was ‘absolutely no investigation’.

“Demi was subject to physical and mental abuse at the hands of her partner, who was jailed last year after admitting threatening and abusive behaviour, but her family believe there are obvious lines of inquiry around her death that were not pursued.

“It has also emerged that the pathologist in the case was not informed by the police that Demi’s partner had a history of strangling her.

“Can I ask if the Scottish Government will consider ordering a review into the investigation of Demi’s death?”

The First Minister extended his “sympathies” to the family and said he understood their concerns.

He went on: “The Crown reserves the right in all circumstances to review any new evidence in a particular case and obviously does that independently of Government.

“I would be wrong for me to pre-judge any of that information.

“But I will raise with the Lord Advocate the point that Claire Baker has made to me today about the desire of the family for further investigation in this case, because that would have to be a matter for the Crown to take forward, given the circumstances of the case.

“But I give Claire Baker the assurance that I will ensure that is the case as a consequence of our exchange today.”

Brown, 33, was sentenced to 43 months in prison after admitting to abusive and threatening behaviour.

Ms Hannaway’s family said they only found out about this abuse following her death.

Her mother Helen Simpson told BBC Scotland: “We have raised our concerns with police. We do not believe Demi took her own life.

“That is based on her character and personality but it is also based on what we found in her home after her death and what we learned in the days and weeks afterwards.”

The Sunday Post reported last week that the pathologist who examined Ms Hannaway after her sudden death was not told that her partner had a history of strangling her.

The newspaper quotes Dr John Clark as saying he may have taken “extra care” with her post-mortem examination had police given him this information.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A complaint has been received and is being progressed by our professional standards department.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further while this is ongoing and a response will be sent to the complainers in due course.”

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has been approached for comment.

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