Stacey Hogg's Family Demand Answers: Why Was Her Knife-Abuser Ex Free to Kill?

The family of a murdered mother-of-three are demanding "action, answers and accountability" after her knife-abuser ex-partner admitted killing her while he was already serving a community sentence for a previous knife attack on her. Stacey Hogg, 35, was fatally attacked at her home in Hawick in the Scottish Borders on 25 June 2026 by Lee Inglis, 39, who repeatedly struck her with a kitchen knife after learning she had begun a new relationship.

Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that Inglis later told police officers he "intended to cut off her head", describing Ms Hogg as his "possession" and stating that if he "could not have her, no one could". The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the couple had separated in November 2024, after Inglis assaulted Ms Hogg with a knife the previous month. He was convicted of that offence and handed a community payback order and a restriction of liberty order, both of which remained in force when he murdered her. The court also heard Inglis had two further convictions from December 2021 relating to Ms Hogg, alongside other convictions for assault.

Ahead of Inglis's sentencing on 5 November, Ms Hogg's brother Arran posted a family statement on Facebook on behalf of brothers Arran and Ryan and parents Lesley and James, saying they "cannot sit back and watch other families go through what we are going through". Mr Hogg wrote: "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."

He continued: "We have to live with this loss for the rest of our lives, and nothing is ever going to change that. What makes it even harder to accept is what we know about Stacey's case. 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. 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 Hogg family stressed that Stacey is not the only woman whose death should prompt scrutiny, naming Samantha Lee, Vikki Soloman and Stacy Hunter among those killed in Scotland this year. "Every one of them had a family, people who loved them and a future that has now been taken away," they said. "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."

The statement 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."

The murder of Ms Hogg has been referred to the Scottish government's new Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review, a multi-agency framework legislated for in November 2025 and operating since April 2026, which examines deaths where abuse is known or suspected in order to learn lessons. Victims minister Kirsten Oswald said: "Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of Stacey Hogg for their terrible loss; her death is a tragedy. We are resolute in our determination to do all we can to tackle violence against women and girls by preventing it from happening in the first place, supporting victims, and ensuring that violent men change their behaviour and are held accountable for their actions."

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." She added that specialist domestic abuse detectives operate within local policing divisions while regional Domestic Abuse Task Forces proactively target high-risk and serial perpetrators, working closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure cases are robust and the risk posed by offenders is properly considered.

First Minister John Swinney has recently pledged to tackle the issue, including plans to bring forward a misogyny bill and launch a public health campaign challenging misogynistic attitudes among boys and young men. Police Scotland's latest That Guy campaign urges men to act as positive role models to counter the influence of social media "manosphere" figures, amid what the force calls a "national emergency" reflected in a daily average of 200 reports of violence against women and girls across Scotland.

The family closed their statement by remembering Ms Hogg as "funny, loud, caring and full of life", adding: "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. We are not asking for sympathy. We are asking for action, answers and accountability. How many more women have to lose their lives? How many more families have to be destroyed before enough really is enough?"

Sentencing decisions remain a matter for the independent courts, with Inglis due to be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 5 November.