GPS monitoring of domestic abuse suspects urged after Stacy Hunter murder in Renfrewshire

Campaigners are calling for "Stacy's law" after a woman was killed by her estranged husband in Renfrewshire while he was on bail. Scotland's slow GPS rollout is under renewed scrutiny.

Calls for GPS bail monitoring grow following Renfrewshire murder

Domestic abuse campaigners are demanding wider use of GPS location tracking for high-risk suspects following the killing of Stacy Hunter at her home near Houston, Renfrewshire, last month, Google News UK — Crime (en) reports.

An online petition, launched in Hunter's name, calls for a "Stacy's law" requiring perpetrators and suspects released on bail to be monitored by satellite tracking equipment. Hunter was murdered at her home by her estranged husband, Jim Mair, 43, whose body was found beside hers. Mair had been charged with assaulting her but was granted bail on condition he did not approach her.

The petition was started by Lynne Mackenzie, a domestic abuse survivor who lives a few miles from the isolated cottage where Hunter was killed in July. Mackenzie said she was shocked by the murder, which came just six days after the death of another domestic abuse victim, Vikki Soloman, in Edinburgh.

"Every time driving in and out of the village I was aware of the police at the end of the road," Mackenzie told BBC Scotland News. "And it really got me thinking what could we have done? What could have been put in place beforehand? What else do we need?"

Mackenzie has been in contact with Hunter's family, who agreed for Hunter's name to be used in the campaign. Hunter's family now prefer she be remembered by her pre-marriage surname, Hunter, rather than her husband's name, Mair.

Expert: Scotland is 'pushing at an open door'

Mike Nellis, emeritus professor of criminal and community justice at the University of Strathclyde and one of the UK's leading experts on electronic monitoring, said introducing such a system was perfectly feasible.

The petition calls for individually assessed exclusion zones around victims' homes or workplaces, with alerts that trigger an automatic police response when bail conditions are breached. Nellis explained that a zone would need to be large enough to allow officers to reach the location before an abuser could arrive.

He said Scotland, which has been slow to adopt GPS technology, could now find itself "pushing at an open door" because ministers are actively exploring ways to reduce the prison population. However, he cautioned that no system was infallible.

"I think probably every jurisdiction that has used it has at one point in time had an offender who still managed to assault, injure or kill the victim," he told BBC Scotland News. "It's a helpful solution but it's not perfect."

Nellis also noted that some women's support groups have previously expressed concern that such systems could create a false sense of security.

Scotland lags behind England and Wales

Electronic tagging in Scotland has primarily relied on older radio frequency equipment tied to home curfews. These devices connect to a receiver inside the offender's home and cannot track movements beyond the property.

Last year, Community Justice Scotland (CJS), an independent public body, issued an urgent National Improvement Recommendation to the Scottish government urging it to accelerate the expansion of more advanced monitoring technologies. CJS expressed frustration that neither GPS nor alcohol monitoring systems had been adopted in Scotland, despite an expert group having backed both in 2016.

In England and Wales, both technologies have been in widespread use since 2018, with plans to begin imposing restriction zones on offenders this autumn.

Scottish ministers had previously faced criticism over the slow rollout of GPS equipment, which is used far less in Scotland than in comparable countries.

Scottish government pledges to consider petition

Scotland's victims minister, Kirsten Oswald, said her thoughts were with Hunter's family and confirmed the government would examine the petition.

"We are listening carefully to victims and support organisations about what more can be done to prevent and tackle violence against women and girls and we will carefully consider the petition," Oswald said in a statement.

She added that the first minister had pledged personal leadership on the issue, while stressing that lasting change required broader social action. "Men, in particular, must challenge sexism, confront abusive behaviour and help create a culture where every woman and girl can live free from violence, abuse and fear," she said.

Oswald noted that while bail and remand decisions remain a matter for the independent courts, bail conditions can be electronically monitored.

Mackenzie is a co-founder of Rise Against Abuse, a not-for-profit organisation supporting those affected by domestic abuse, but launched the petition in a personal capacity.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)