REVERSE THE EARLY RELEASE OF CONVICTED ABUSER ANDREW BROWN

We, the undersigned, urgently call on the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service to reverse the decision to transfer Andrew Brown — a violent domestic abuser convicted for repeated assaults on young mother Demi Hannaway — to Castle Huntly open prison, where he is already being prepared for home leave, just one year into his 43-month sentence. Brown was convicted in May 2024 after years of horrific abuse that left Demi traumatised, isolated, and physically injured. Despite a well-documented history of domestic violence, disturbing circumstances surrounding Demi’s tragic death, and ongoing criminal justice investigations by the Lord Advocate’s office into the failures of Police Scotland, Andrew Brown is being rewarded with leniency. This undermines public confidence in the justice system and retraumatises Demi’s grieving family, who are now raising her two young children. This shocking decision has been made without consulting Demi’s family — the same family who fought tirelessly for years to expose police failings and secure a proper investigation. They now live in fear of encountering this man in their own community. It is a complete insult to justice that Brown can enjoy freedom while still under scrutiny in an active investigation potentially relating to a suspicious death. Brown’s move to an open prison is not a mere procedural transfer — it is a dangerous precedent. Home leave from open prison means violent offenders are trusted to integrate back into society without having served the majority of their sentence, regardless of the risk they pose. This is especially concerning in cases of domestic abuse where coercive control, gaslighting, and repeated trauma can be hard to quantify but are deeply felt by victims and their families. Scotland claims to lead in domestic abuse policy and victim-centred justice, yet actions like this say otherwise. Victims' families deserve to be protected, respected, and included in all decisions relating to the early release of violent offenders. That did not happen here. We demand: The immediate revocation of Andrew Brown’s transfer to an open prison. A full review of the risk assessment process that allowed this decision. A public commitment that no prisoner under active investigation in relation to a suspicious death or serious historic abuse will be eligible for open prison or home leave. Mandatory victim family consultation before such decisions are made in domestic abuse cases. Justice must be seen to be done — not quietly undone behind closed doors. If this release goes ahead, it signals to every victim of abuse in Scotland that their pain is negotiable, and their abuser’s comfort is a higher priority. We stand with Demi’s family. We stand for victims’ rights. And we say: not in our name. Red Rose UK