'Abuser should have been charged with killing our daughter'

Demi Hannaway took her own life after abuse at the hands of Andrew Brown

The family of a young mum who took her own life following “horrendous” abuse by her partner say he should have been charged with killing her.

Demi Hannaway, 23, saved evidence of Andrew Brown's behaviour on her phone, which was not discovered until after she died in May 2021.

Brown, 33, was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Airdrie Sheriff Court earlier this month after admitting threatening and abusive behaviour.

The Crown Office said prosecutors take action where there is "sufficient evidence" and it is in the public interest.

But Demi's mum, Helen Simpson, described Brown as a “danger to women” and believes the charge should have been upgraded.

“We strongly believe that he should have been charged with culpable homicide,” she told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland.

“The type of abuse that Demi suffered at the hands of him, for four years, is just horrendous in itself.

“Someone described him as being a misogynist and that’s exactly what he is. He shouldn’t be near any women at all."

Demi was found dead at home in Airdrie on 13 May 2021.

She had met Brown in 2016 and moved in with him after becoming pregnant with their first child.

Police Scotland initially ruled her death as non-suspicious.

It later emerged she had made a call to a friend asking him to get Brown out of their house hours before she took her own life.

Demi’s sister, Caitlin, 24, accessed her phone and uncovered images showing injuries caused by Brown.

These included pictures of bruising around her eye and neck that Demi had photographed before her death.

There were also messages from Brown calling her a “cancerous cow” and telling her he “hoped she would die”.

Demi's family said there had been no previous signs of an abusive relationship

Demi’s dad, John, said they had no idea about the abuse during the pair’s relationship and said she had "sung his praises" when they were together.

“It was just a bolt from the blue,” he said.

“They say victims of abuse never come forward. That is exactly what happened here.”

Friends also came forward to share their experience of the pair’s relationship as part of a three-year Crown Office investigation.

Brown was jailed for 43 months, but the family believes his sentence should have been longer.

Helen said: “More needs to be done to stop domestic abuse in its tracks.

“What’s he going to do? Two thirds of his sentence and back out to live his life?

“My daughter is not going to get to live hers.”

Helen and John are now focused on bringing up the couple’s children, four and three.

“We’ll make sure those children get the life our daughter would have given them,” John said.

“That’s our main aim now.”

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said it recognised the "devastating impact" of domestic abuse and it understood the effect the loss of a loved one.

A spokesperson added: “Prosecutors are committed to the rigorous pursuit of justice and will take prosecutorial action where there is sufficient admissible evidence, and it is in the public interest to do so.

“Violent and abusive behaviour such as Brown’s is never acceptable, and we strongly encourage anyone who has been a victim of any such offences to report this to the police.”

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