Demi Hannaway’s violent attacker set for home leave from jail – just a year into 43-month term

The man who repeatedly attacked tragic young mum Demi Hannaway is being allowed out of prison – just a year after being jailed for four years.

Violent thug Andrew Brown is already being prepared to spend up to a week every month on home leave.

And we can reveal that Brown, whose behaviour on the night Demi died four years ago is now the subject of a special investigation ordered by Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain, has been moved to the open prison Castle Huntly near Dundee.

Brown has been allowed out to meet with social workers and for work placements, and will be considered for regular home leave. Demi’s shattered parents John and Helen say they are “sickened” by Brown’s treatment.

© Supplied by Hannaway family

Dad John said: “It is almost inconceivable after the system let us down from beginning to end that Brown is now being allowed to go free just a year after he was sentenced to 43 months in prison.

“We’ve fought every inch of the way to have Demi’s death re-opened because the shambolic police investigation was so deeply flawed it was non-existent – only to discover Brown has been moved to open prison and is granted home leave.

“We are sure the Lord Advocate and her team who are looking for evidence of whether Demi was murdered will be equally shocked to learn the prison service has decided Brown is safe to be allowed back in the community.”

Brown, 33, who was sentenced to three years and seven months at Airdrie Sheriff Court last May for abusing Demi, was allowed a plea deal which left his victim’s family reeling.

A Sunday Post campaign revealed Brown had been secretly battering Demi for years, strangling and abusing her as the traumatised young mum tried to cover up her injuries from her parents.

We revealed police failed to investigate how Demi died at her Airdrie home in May 2021.

Instead, they ruled that she had hanged herself with a black bin bag from a curtain hook which her father discovered could bear hardly any weight.

Police insisted Demi had killed herself, despite a catalogue of “red flags” including officers attending the scene having attended the same house on repeated domestic abuse call-outs.

Shocking evidence including clumps of Demi’s hair scattered around the property, blood spatters up the walls, punch marks on a fridge and the disappearance of the young mum’s phone were all ignored by Police Scotland who concluded the case was a suicide.

On the night Demi died, neighbours heard Brown smashing up the property in a violent temper.

Friends also received calls from the desperate mum as she begged for help getting her abusive partner out of her home.

And when officers arrived at the scene, despite Brown initially refusing to let them into the premises, they took a known abuser’s word and allowed him to leave the scene within a couple of hours.

Following our campaign, the Lord Advocate agreed to meet with Demi’s parents and immediately agreed to appoint a specialist team to re-investigate what had happened to their daughter.

Mum Helen said: “We finally felt that we were being listened to after four years fighting for justice.

“We were hopeful, only to discover that Brown has been moved to an open prison and is being allowed out.

“We had not been consulted or warned. It has been a complete shock.

“We have custody of Demi’s two young children, and there are legal processes in place to prevent Brown being anywhere near them.

“The very thought that we could have walked right into him while he is out has left us sickened to our stomachs.

“We have spoken with the Crown Office and they have now assured us that Brown will not be allowed in Airdrie during his home leave.

“But those restrictions do not go nearly far enough.

“A violent monster like Brown should not be walking the streets just a year after being sentenced to almost four years in jail.

“The Justice Secretary needs to answer some very tough questions on how and why this has happened.”

© Andrew Cawley

Labour MSP Claire Baker, who has been supporting Demi’s family, said: “It’s shocking to discover Andrew Brown is getting home release barely a year into his sentence, particularly at a time when the Lord Advocate is looking again at the circumstances of Demi’s death.

“On balance, the decision to allow home release is wrong and needs to be looked at again.”

The Scottish Prison Service said: “We do not comment on individuals.

“Anyone assessed for temporary home leave is subject to a rigorous multi-agency risk assessment and, if approved, individualised plans are put in place to meet their risks and needs.”

They say prisoners at Castle Huntly are assessed and “tested” in the community as they prepare for release.