A nationwide campaign titled “It’s Time” has been launched in Scotland to demand urgent reforms to the criminal justice system following the death of domestic abuse victim Adrienne McCartney.
Adrienne McCartney, aged 38, a mother of three from Bank Street, Irvine, had endured a sustained campaign of physical violence and coercive control by her husband, property developer Aaron McCartney.
The case prompted widespread criticism of the legal process after:
The Procurator Fiscal accepted a plea deal, removing the most serious domestic abuse charges against Aaron McCartney
A protective non-harassment order was not imposed to protect the victim
McCartney received only a court fine and subsequently sent taunting messages mocking the outcome
Adrienne was evicted from her family home and refused face-to-face mental health support by the NHS
Adrienne tragically took her own life in 2022, leaving behind three children, then aged 6, 7, and 15. The Crown Office later issued a formal apology to the family for the mishandling of the prosecution.
Backing the “It’s Time” campaign, Adrienne’s mother, former director of nursing Adrienne Ireland, is calling on authorities to implement:
- Specialist domestic abuse courts with dedicated support services
- A formal register and mandatory monitoring for convicted domestic abusers
- The removal of parental rights for violent domestic offenders
- Tougher custodial sentencing and strict enforcement of bail conditions
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