Man Jailed for Death of Abused Wife Who Jumped from Bridge
A man convicted of killing his wife, who died after jumping from a motorway bridge, has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Kimberly Milne, aged 28, died in July 2023 after being struck by multiple vehicles on the A90 in Dundee.
Lee Milne, 39, was found guilty by a jury of culpable homicide and a separate charge of domestic abuse occurring at several properties in Dundee.
This case marked the first prosecution of its kind in Scotland, establishing that Milne was responsible for Kimberly's death despite her jumping to her death.
A comparable case in England in 2017 resulted in a man being found guilty of unlawful killing following domestic controlling behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend.
Domestic Abuse Leading Up to Death
Prosecutors detailed that Kimberly had endured significant domestic violence from Milne during the 18 months prior to her death.
The trial revealed that the couple began their relationship in late 2021 and married in September 2022.
According to prosecutors, the abuse started early in the relationship and continued up to the day Kimberly died.
Among the incidents presented was an attack in early 2022 when Milne choked Kimberly.
Before her death, Kimberly spoke to police, stating:
"Lee and I were in his home and he went through my phone. He saw messages from other men before we were together. He got angry and started to shout and swear at me."
Another assault months later involved Milne pulling Kimberly by the hair to the ground, after which he apologized, claiming he was "not that type of guy."
In late 2022, Kimberly discovered that Milne had allegedly been unfaithful with other women. He reportedly became "angry" and struck her on the head, causing her to fall and lose consciousness.
Witness Accounts of the Night of Death
A witness testified that on the night Kimberly died, she observed a man and woman appearing to argue.
The witness went shopping and later saw the same pair outside a flooring store at the Kingsway Retail Park in Dundee.
She described the man as "trapping" the woman against a wall.
When asked about the woman's behaviour, the witness said:
"Cowering, scared. She did not really do much. There was not much she could do. It did not look like (she was responding to the man) - she was seeming too frightened."
Statements from Kimberly's Family and Police
The jury also heard a statement from Kimberly's mother, Lynne Bruce, 54, who described Milne arriving at her house the morning after Kimberly's death.
The statement read:
"I was woken up by Lee at my door. When I answered he said something along the lines of Kim has gone. I didn't know what he was on about and he came in the house. He said something along the lines of Kim had pulled the steering wheel and crashed the car. He then said Kim had gone up to the bridge and he had chased her. He tried to grab her hands and she looked up at him, shook her head before jumping off."
Detective Chief Inspector Craig Kelly, who led the investigation, expressed relief that Milne was incarcerated, stating:
"He is a violent bully who demonstrated emotional and physical violence towards Kimberly and coercive control. Witness testimony and CCTV evidence painted a picture of quite horrendous domestic abuse. Witnesses described him as being very aggressive and it was obvious Kimberly was terrified of him. He never fully accepted accountability for his actions and tried to attribute blame to Kimberly's vulnerabilities."
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