Man admits abusing girlfriend before she killed herself

A man has admitting assaulting and abusing his girlfriend shortly before she took her own life.

Student Emily Drouet took her own life just days after an attack by abusive Angus Milligan. Picture: Contributed

Angus Milligan, 21, of Edinburgh, admitted choking and slapping student Emily Drouet, 18, at halls of residence in Aberdeen. University of Aberdeen law student Miss Drouet was found dead several days later in March last year.

Milligan, a 21-year-old psychology student from Edinburgh, admitted assault and threatening behaviour. Sentence was deferred at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.

Following the hearing, her parents, Fiona and Germain Drouet from Glasgow, called for the sheriff to jail their daughter’s attacker.

Mrs Drouet said: “This boy came into our beautiful daughter’s life and, within a matter of months, he drove her to suicide. His actions were those of an animal and a bully and he has shown no remorse for what he did.

“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.

“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.”

On 10 March last year he turned up at the teenager’s student accommodation at Hillhead Halls, seized her by the neck and choked her leaving the teenager in fear of her life.

She was found dead in her apartment a few days later on 18 March having taken her own life.

The initial police investigation concluded there were no suspicious circumstances but it later emerged that Milligan had subjected Miss Drouet to a campaign of abuse in the days leading up to her death. He pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, sending grossly offensive messages and injuring her in an assault.

The court heard yesterday that the couple met through studying at university and began dating at the end of 2015.

Defence lawyer Susan Duff described the case as tragic and described the young couple’s relationship as “intense”.