A woman from Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, has called for domestic abuse offenders to serve their full prison sentences after her former partner was released early despite a history of violent behavior. Liz Shanks, 37, endured a three-year period of abuse at the hands of Chris Forrest, who was recorded on CCTV physically assaulting her.

Shanks installed cameras in her home, partly to monitor her dog’s separation anxiety while she was at work. The footage captured Forrest, a lorry driver, shouting threats and strangling her on their sofa, as well as throttling her against a wall. She submitted the recordings to the police, and Forrest admitted to the abuse.

In 2022, Forrest was sentenced to 27 months in prison but was released after serving approximately half of his term. Shanks has expressed deep disappointment with the early release, stating that he deserved a much longer sentence and that the trauma she experienced continues to affect her life.

Now a firefighter who has worked to rebuild her life after the abuse, Shanks is campaigning for changes in the legal system to ensure domestic abuse perpetrators serve their full sentences in custody. Her case highlights ongoing concerns about sentencing and early release policies for individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses.