Stacy’s Law: what we’ve done so far
Stacy’s Law: what we’ve done so far
I started the Stacy’s Law petition on 13 August, after Stacy Hunter was killed. I couldn’t stop thinking about what might have helped protect her, and what needs to change before another family suffers the same loss.
The petition calls for GPS monitoring in high-risk domestic abuse cases, with exclusion zones, alerts when conditions are breached and a rapid police response. The person who may pose the risk should be monitored; the responsibility for staying safe should not be left with the person at risk.
Since launching the petition, Stacy’s family and I have kept pushing:
We developed a briefing explaining what Stacy’s Law is asking for and sent it to MSPs and other decision-makers.
We contacted MSPs across parties, Scottish Government officials, the Criminal Justice Committee and Police Scotland, asking for a clear timetable and answers about how GPS protection would work.
On 3 September, Stacy’s case and GPS monitoring were raised at First Minister’s Questions. Dame Jackie Baillie pressed for a timetable, while Russell Findlay and Alex Cole-Hamilton also raised the need for stronger protection. First Minister John Swinney said the work was receiving “urgent attention”.
On 9 September, Pauline McNeill raised Stacy’s case and questioned the pace of progress.
Jackie Baillie confirmed her continuing support. Tom Arthur’s office also spoke with me and said it would raise questions about when the pilot would begin and why this area was chosen when Stacy lost her life in Houston. A meeting with Alex Cole-Hamilton has been arranged for 28 September.
On 15 September, following a meeting with Stacy’s mum Ann Grant and brother Sean Hunter, the First Minister announced plans to lay regulations before the October recess to allow GPS monitoring of people on bail, including in domestic abuse cases. The proposed pilot will cover Tayside, Central and Fife, with a start expected sometime in 2027.
On 22 September, the Criminal Justice Committee confirmed that it had noted my correspondence about Stacy’s Law and would consider the issues raised alongside other possible areas of its work.
Every signature, share, conversation and question raised in Parliament has helped keep this issue in front of the people who can act. I’m grateful to Stacy’s family for their strength, and to everyone who has backed the petition.
But the announcement is a proposed regional pilot, not a Scotland-wide rollout. We still need an exact start date. We need to know which cases will qualify, whether exclusion zones and alerts will be included, what happens when a breach is detected, and when people at risk elsewhere in Scotland will have the same protection.
Stacy should be alive. We cannot let this lose momentum while those questions remain unanswered. Please keep signing and sharing the petition, and keep the pressure on until the promises become real protection.
#StacysLaw #DomesticAbuse #GPSMonitoring #riseagainstabuse.com