Grieving family of murdered Stacey Hogg say 'she should still be here - her kids should still have their mum'
In a statement, the grieving family say Stacey is not the only woman whose death should “make people sit up and take notice”
The family of a woman who was murdered by a man with a history of domestic abuse have called for answers over whether more could have been done to protect her.
Stacey Hogg, 35, was murdered at her home in Hawick by her former partner, Lee Inglis, who was on a community-based sentence for assaulting her with a knife at the time he stabbed her to death in June this year.
Inglis admitted to her murder at the High Court in Edinburgh earlier this month, with the court hearing that he killed the mother-of-three after learning she was in a new relationship.
Now, her loved ones have called for action to be taken to ensure that no other families are left “picking up the pieces.”
In a statement, they said: “We are speaking out as a family because we have lost our daughter, sister and mum, Stacey Hogg, and we cannot sit back and watch other families go through what we are going through.
“Stacey should still be here. Her kids should still have their mum. Our mum and dad should still have their daughter and we should still have our sister. Instead, our family has been left trying to get our heads around something that should never have happened.”
The statement, issued by Ms Hogg’s brothers, Arran and Ryan, and her parents, Lesley and James, said the knowledge that they would have to live with her loss for the rest of their lives was made worse by the circumstances surrounding her death.
“Her former partner had previously abused her, including a knife attack, and had been subject to a restriction of liberty order when he took her life,” they pointed out.
“Why let out someone so dangerous?
“So we have to ask the question: how did it get to this point? We know nothing will bring Stacey back, but we deserve answers about what happened and whether more could have been done to protect her.”
The murder of Ms Hogg has been referred to the Scottish government’s new Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review, which has been in place since April. The multi-agency review framework, which was legislated for last November, seeks to learn lessons following a death where abuse is known or suspected.
The Hogg family said although they did not wish to point fingers at individuals, they were “angry,” and stressed the need to answer “serious questions” about how domestic abuse is dealt with in Scotland.
“Stacey is not the only woman whose death should make people sit up and take notice,” they explained. “Other women and girls have lost their lives in Scotland this year, including Samantha Lee, Vikki Soloman and other victims whose names deserve to be remembered.
“Every one of them had a family, people who loved them and a future that has now been taken away. These are not just names in a newspaper. They are real people. They are daughters, sisters, mums and loved ones. Their families are the ones left picking up the pieces long after everyone else has moved on. Honestly, we are sick of hearing the same things every time another woman dies.”
They added: “There are statements, promises and people saying things need to change, but we want to know what is actually being done to stop this happening again. It is time for the Scottish government, the SNP and our justice system to take action. Not next year, not after another tragedy, but now.
“We need victims to be properly protected. We need warning signs to be taken seriously. We need agencies to communicate with each other, and we need accountability when things go wrong. If there are lessons to be learned from Stacey’s case, then learn them.
“If the system needs to change, change it. We cannot keep having the same conversations while more families are left devastated. This is not about politics. It is about people’s lives. Nothing will bring Stacey back. Nothing will give her kids their mum back or give our mum and dad their daughter back.
“We have to live with that every single day. But we do not want another family to experience this. We do not want another brother to lose his sister, another parent to bury their daughter or another child to grow up without their mum.”
The statement said the family was not seeking sympathy, but action, answers, and accountability, adding: “How many more women have to lose their lives? How many more families have to be destroyed before enough really is enough? Stacey was our sister, our daughter and a mum. She was funny, loud, caring and full of life. She deserved to be here, and her children deserved to have her here.
“We cannot change what happened to Stacey, but we can speak up and demand that something changes for other women and families. To those in power, please stop waiting until another woman dies before asking what needs to be done.
“Our sister should still be here. We cannot change that, but we can demand better so that another family does not have to go through what ours.”
Detective chief superintendent Sarah Taylor, head of Police Scotland's public protection unit, said: “First and foremost our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Stacey. No family should ever have to experience this pain and their loss is unimaginable but I hope the successful prosecution of Lee Inglis brings them some form of comfort.
“Domestic Abuse is a priority for Police Scotland and we acknowledge the increase in reports. Building confidence in reporting is crucial and, in this respect, we work closely with agencies including local authorities, advocacy services and Women’s Aid organisations. Their work is essential in helping ensure victims of domestic abuse are supported.
"In addition to the dedicated specialist Domestic Abuse detectives in local policing divisions, our regional Domestic Abuse Task Force proactively targets high risk and serial perpetrators across Scotland. This includes proactively identifying and making approaches to potential victims who may otherwise not have reported previous incidents.”
She added: "We work closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service to ensure that cases are robust and that the risk posed by perpetrators is considered. The Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme (DSDAS), which allows us to disclose someone’s abusive past to a current partner, continues to grow and is an important preventative tool. More information can be accessed on our website, and I would urge anyone with concerns, either for themselves or someone they know, to make an application.”
The Scottish government has been contacted for comment.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.