SENTENCING STATEMENTS
A judge may decide to publish a statement after passing sentence on an offender in cases where there is particular public interest; where a case has legal significance; or where providing the reasons for the decision might assist public understanding.
Please note that statements may include graphic details of offences when it is necessary to fully explain the reasons behind a sentencing decision.
Follow us if you wish to receive alerts as soon as statements are published.
Once charges are spent, any statement in relation to them is removed and cannot be provided or acknowledged. Statements published before the launch of the website may be available on request. Please email judicialcomms@scotcourts.gov.uk.
The independence of the judiciary is essential to safeguard people’s rights under law - enabling judges to make decisions impartially based solely on evidence and law, without interference or influence from the government or politicians.
When deciding a sentence, a judge must deal with the offence that the offender has been convicted of, taking into account the unique circumstances of each particular case. The judge will carefully consider the facts that are presented to the Court by both the prosecution and by the defence.
For more information about how judges decide sentences; what sentences are available; and matters such as temporary release, see the independent Scottish Sentencing Council website.
Read more about victims of crime and sentencing.
HMA v Dionne Christie
May 7, 2025
On sentencing, Lady Poole said:
"Dionne Christie, you were convicted of culpable homicide by the jury at the High Court in Stirling on 17 March 2025.
Jevin Haig died on the floor of your flat when you were both 21. He had been stabbed horizontally in the chest, and the knife entered his heart, killing him. You were his partner. The jury found you were responsible for his death.
However, the jury by its verdict accepted you acted under provocation. There were signs of a struggle in your flat. Your evidence was that there was an argument between you, and your victim threatened to cut out the baby you were carrying with his knife. On medical examination, you had significant bruising to your limbs.
Your victim had not led a blameless life. The jury heard evidence he was dealing drugs, and he died by his own knife. But that does not excuse you killing him. Messaging before the court showed that he cared for you, and was happy to be going to a scan appointment with you. It was clear at the trial how upset Jevin Haig’s family are about his death. Victim impact statements describe the deep grief and lasting impact his loss has had on his family. Your victim was loved, and is missed. Your actions ended his life early.
I have considered the criminal justice social work report which I ordered. The report notes that you are sorry that your victim lost his life, and sorry about the impact this is having on his wider family. The risk assessment carried out placed you in the lowest category of risk of further offending. The assessor considered any risk of you appearing before the court again may stem from intimate relationships and conflict within these.
I have taken into account everything said on your behalf in mitigation. You have no previous convictions. Even though you left school at 15 prior to your exams, you have worked as a hairdresser and have created your own aesthetics business. You are the single parent of two children, and you have caring responsibilities for them. You have family support from your mother. She is to be commended for her care of your children.
You are 24 years old which means that you are subject to the sentencing young persons guidelines. As a result of your age at the time of your offending, you lacked maturity. You were less able to take good decisions and think through the consequences of your actions than mature adults would have been. Your rehabilitation is an important consideration for the court. However, other considerations are also important in determining the sentence to be imposed, such as punishment for you having taken a young man’s life, protection of the public, and deterrence of others.
I have taken into account that you have not previously been sentenced to imprisonment or detention, but given the nature and seriousness of the crime of which you have been convicted, no other method of dealing with you is appropriate. Killing your partner with a knife must attract a significant prison sentence, particularly when the jury also found that you previously evinced malice and ill will towards him.
The sentence I impose is imprisonment for a period of 8 years and 6 months, 6 months of which reflects the partner aggravation. Your sentence will run from 17 March 2025 when you were first remanded in custody."