Parents of Murdered Stalking Victim Campaign for Legislative Change

Ten years after Alice Ruggles was murdered by her obsessive ex-boyfriend, her parents, Dr. Sue Hills and Clive Ruggles, are still campaigning for legislative changes and increased public awareness surrounding stalking.

Alice Ruggles, 24, was killed in 2016 by Trimaan "Harry" Dhillon, a soldier who had subjected her to a prolonged campaign of stalking. Dhillon drove from his barracks near Edinburgh to Gateshead, broke into Ruggles's flat, and murdered her. He was convicted of murder and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years.

Dr. Hills described the loss of her daughter as life-altering, stating, "My life before, my life after are completely different and I'm not on the path that I would have been on." She remembered Alice as "brilliant - lively, hilariously funny, full of energy," and as someone who was "really caring and empathetic."

Following Alice's death, Sue and Clive Ruggles established the Alice Ruggles Trust to advocate for better education about stalking and to push for legislative reform. While it is now mandatory for secondary schools in the UK to include teaching about stalking, the couple believes there should be no distinction between stalking and stalking that involves fear of violence when considering charges and punishments.

An independent review into the effectiveness of current stalking legislation, led by Richard Wright KC, was submitted to the government in April. Dr. Hills has expressed concern that the review might be overlooked amid governmental changes and is urging for its prompt publication. The review is expected to assess whether existing laws adequately protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable, as well as address emerging forms of stalking, including online abuse and technology-enabled behaviors.

"It's a weird thing, if something is trying to scare you, and you say you're scared then they've sort of won," Dr. Hills remarked regarding the current legal framework, questioning why the burden often falls on the victim's perceived fear. She drew a parallel to burglary, noting that such a condition would not be applied.

The Alice Ruggles Trust continues its mission to educate young people about recognizing the signs of stalking, understanding healthy relationships, and knowing how to seek help. In the past year, the trust has reached over 4,000 young people through school assemblies and personal, social, health, and economic (PSHE) lessons. Additionally, 600 professionals have been trained by the trust to identify and respond to stalking. The trust's ultimate goal, according to Hills, is "to put an end to stalking," and she believes their work is already changing lives by educating potential perpetrators about the wrongfulness of their actions.