The heartbroken dad of tragic teen Grace Handling is ramping up his campaign for a law change targeting drug dealers. Stewart Handling will directly lobby law chiefs undertaking a review of homicide laws.
Grace, 13, died after taking ecstasy at a party and her family was “heartbroken all over again” when the man who admitted giving Grace the fatal drugs was found not proven.
Stewart, from Irvine, Ayrshire, said the man was charged with culpable homicide which allows juries wriggle room to deliver a not proven or not guilty verdict.
He is now calling for Grace’s Law which would be a new charge of death by drug dealing and wants to meet Justice Secretary Keith Brown to discuss his proposals.
In a letter from a senior civil servant, Stewart was advised: “It may be helpful for you to note, the Scottish Law Commission is currently undertaking a project to examine the law of homicide (including culpable homicide).
“Once the Scottish Law Commission produces its final report, the Scottish Government will consider carefully the recommendations.”
Stewart has also cited the recent case of two men cleared of killing a new mum by supplying her with high purity cocaine.
He has written to former judge, Lady Paton, who is leading the homicide review and asked her to consider his solution.
Stewart added: “Drug dealers know they are peddling lethal products but when it gets to court, they are wriggling free because culpable homicide does not fit the criteria for conviction.
“We need a law that targets the dealers when someone dies. This would help gain the confidence of the public and hopefully give a warning to would-be drug dealers.”
Stewart and wife Lorraine were devastated when Grace died after taking ecstasy in 2018.
Callum Owens, 21, admitted giving Grace the pill which killed her but was cleared of causing her death on the controversial not proven verdict.
Last month, two men were cleared of killing new mum Rebecca Tollan by supplying her with high purity cocaine.
Barry McAuley, 40, and Martin Stewart, 34, were found not guilty of the culpable homicide of the 23-year-old who had collapsed and died at Stewart’s then home in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, in 2019.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
