A Glasgow rape survivor expresses distress over her attacker’s parole hearing set for Valentine’s Day, calling for compassion from the Board.
Glasgow: A former student, Ellie Wilson, is really upset. Her ex-boyfriend, Daniel McFarlane, who raped her, has a parole hearing set for Valentine’s Day. Can you believe that? She’s calling it “highly distressing.”
Ellie, now 27, reached out to the Parole Board, hoping they’d change the date. But no luck. They’re sticking to February 14, which is just cruel considering it’s also around the time she was assaulted.
Back in December, they had a hearing to decide if McFarlane could get out early, but they couldn’t agree. So now, they’re going for an oral hearing. Ellie’s been really vocal about how the justice system keeps failing her.
She told the Daily Record that every time she thinks it can’t get worse, it does. It’s like a bad joke to have this hearing on such a significant day for her. She tried to explain her feelings to the Board, but they just brushed her off.
Ellie said it’s already a tough time of year for her, and now she has to deal with this hearing. It’s just adding to her trauma. She feels sickened by the whole experience and thinks the system is inhumane.
Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon is backing Ellie, saying the Board needs to be more understanding of trauma. She hears from survivors all the time about how accessing justice can be just as bad as the assault itself.
McFarlane was convicted of raping Ellie twice between late 2017 and early 2018. He got a five-year sentence in July 2022. Now, two years in, Ellie found out he’s up for parole.
Last month, she even started a campaign for better rights for victims during these parole processes. She’s not alone in feeling that the system is flawed and doesn’t care enough about victims.
The Parole Board for Scotland said they can’t comment on individual cases, but they have to follow the law about scheduling hearings. It’s a tough situation for Ellie, and she’s just trying to make her voice heard.
