The boyfriend of a student found dead in her room last year has admitted carrying out a campaign of abuse against her.
Emily Drouet, who was in her first year at Aberdeen University, was found in her halls of residence in the early hours of March 18 last year. She was 18.
Yesterday, Angus Milligan appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted sending Miss Drouet “grossly offensive” and “menacing” messages on March 3 and March 4 last year, and grabbing her by the neck, choking her, pushing her against a desk and slapping her on March 10.
The court heard that in one message, the 21-year-old, called Miss Drouet as “the worst person in Aberdeen”.
He also shouted abuse at Miss Drouet at New Carnegie court, in Aberdeen University’s Hillhead Halls on two occasions between March 3 and March 10.
A week later, the young law student was found dead.
Last night, Miss Drouet’s devastated parents said they believed Milligan’s actions had caused her death.
They called for him to be given a custodial sentence to send a strong message to those guilty of domestic abuse.
During the court hearing, fiscal depute Christopher Macintosh said Miss Drouet and Milligan, of Drummond Place, Edinburgh, started going out in late 2015, and their relationship was described by friends of Miss Drouet as “more physical than romantic”.
But he said in early 2016, Milligan discovered Miss Drouet had been seen with another man, and from that point, the “relationship began to break down”.
The court heard Milligan broke up with Miss Drouet shortly before her death.
Defence advocate Susan Duff said her client “understands the pain that her family are feeling, and knows that there is nothing he can say or do to change that”.
She described the pair’s relationship as “intense”, and said that the two had found each other to be “kindred spirits”.
Sentence was deferred for background reports, but last night Miss Drouet’s parents Germain and Fiona called for Milligan to be locked up.
Her mother said: “His actions were those of an animal and a bully and he has shown no remorse for what he did.
“We ache for Emily every second of every day. She has a little brother and sister who are experiencing the kind of agony that no child should ever have to endure.
“Angus Milligan showed no mercy to our daughter through his vicious and relentless campaign of abuse. Nothing will bring Emily back but we hope that he feels the full force of the law and that his sentence reflects the devastating consequences of his actions.
“Violence against women and girls is a hugely important issue and the sheriff needs to send out a clear message that his actions cannot and will not be tolerated.”
Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “We know there is no way to ease that pain, and our thoughts are very much with those who knew Emily and those who are missing her today.
“Violence against women and children destroys lives – it hurts and it kills and for as long as men continue to abuse women we can never hope to live in an equal society.
“It is the desperate and devastating reality that domestic abuse takes the lives of a small number of women who experience it, and the heartbreak this inflicts on their family, friends, communities and other relationships cannot be underestimated.
“We are working to end domestic abuse, but until that day the single most important thing for anyone experiencing abuse to know is that even though it doesn’t always feel like it, you don’t have to go through this alone.
“Scotland’s National Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline is open all day every day on 0800 027 1234, and we are here to make sure that you have somewhere safe to speak.
“No pressure, no judgement, just a listening ear and support whenever you need it.”
