Violent Death

When someone dies in violent circumstances, it can be particularly shocking. Such incidents usually occur with no warning, when the victim was expected to have many years of happy life ahead of them. For a parent, spouse or loved-one of any kind, the news that they have suddenly been taken from you is likely to have a devastating effect.

Compounding this will be the legal formalities: you will often be informed by the police, and then have an inquest to deal with. The authorities will then want to get on with their own investigation, which may culminate in a trial, and possibly even having to face the person who murdered your loved-one in court.  

Recovering from this grief will be a long and difficult process, but there is professional help available.

The Scottish Government has an advice page called “Coping with grief following murder of culpable homicide”, which includes information about organisations who provide support.

If your loved-one’s death has left you with financial worries, you may be able to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. In some cases, this can include compensation for the lost earnings of someone who has been murdered. Advice about doing this can be found here.

There are several charities that exist to support people who have recently been bereaved in violent circumstances:

Cruse Bereavement Care – www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

People Experiencing Trauma and Loss (PETAL) – www.petalsupport.com

Victim Support – www.victimsupport.org

Support after Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM) – www.samm.org.uk