Woman who killed partner with air rifle given supervision order for PTSD

A woman who killed her partner by shooting him in the chest with an air rifle has been sentenced to a three-year supervision and treatment order.

Simone Ramage, 41, was told at the High Court in Edinburgh she would not be given a custodial sentence after a judge previously concluded she had killed Brian Kowbel in the Scottish Borders in 2023.

Ramage shot Mr Kowbel on 17 February 2023 at their home in Galashiels, leaving him so severely injured he later died at Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

Judge John Morris KC said at a hearing on Wednesday he was satisfied the non-custodial sentence was "the most suitable means of dealing with you".

He said Ramage would have to comply with treatment aimed at improving her health.

When asked how she was getting on with her current doctor, Ramage replied: "Good."

Earlier this year, Judge Morris found Ramage responsible for the culpable homicide of Mr Kowbel, following an examination of facts hearing at the high court.

At the hearing, in which he sat without a jury, the judge also found her to have been in possession of an air rifle without holding the relevant firearm certificate.

This came after Judge Susan Craig deemed Ramage unfit to stand trial at a hearing in March last year.

Two psychiatrists had concluded that Ramage - who has a long history of mental health issues - sustained post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence of the shooting.

During earlier proceedings, a tape-recorded interview of Mr Kowbel's daughter speaking to police following his death was played to the court.

The teenager said of her stepmother: "I don't blame her. She's going to be blaming herself. It was an accident. We want her to know she's not to blame."

The witness said Ramage, Mr Kowbel and their children had a "jokey" relationship.

She said that the family had an air rifle and on the day of the shooting, Ramage had decided to "scare" Mr Kowbel who was in the kitchen making food for the children.

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The teenager said of Ramage, who was in another room: "She shouted on him to bring her fags through to her. I think she wanted to shoot past him."

A post-mortem examination concluded the cause of Mr Kowbel's death was a "gunshot injury" to his chest.

Defence lawyer Victoria Dow earlier claimed her client did not know the weapon was loaded.

At her sentencing, Judge Morris told Ramage that she must comply with the court order.

He said: "If you don't comply with the terms of the order, you may be brought back before me and the order may be revoked. Do you understand that?"

Ramage responded: "Yes."

An examination of facts takes the place of a trial when someone is considered unfit to stand trial due to a mental disorder.

(c) Sky News 2026: Woman who killed partner with air rifle given supervision order for PTSD