The family of Alice Ruggles says the soldier convicted of stalking and murdering their daughter sought a transfer to India to serve his life sentence, a move they feared could eventually put them at risk.
Alice, 24, was discovered with her throat cut by her flatmate in the bathroom of their Gateshead home in Tyne and Wear on October 12, 2016.
Lance Corporal Trimaan “Harry” Dhillon was convicted of killing the former Sky employee and sentenced in April 2017 to a minimum of 22 years behind bars.
Alice’s relatives later founded the Alice Ruggles Trust to highlight the hidden dangers of stalking. The family has recently commemorated the 10th anniversary of her death.
Professor Clive Ruggles and his wife, Dr Sue Hill, say Dhillon, a former signaller with 2 Scots, has shown no remorse for ending their daughter’s life.
The couple also say they were not told that Alice’s killer had applied to be transferred from Britain to India to complete his prison sentence.
They feared he could become a danger to the family if released early in India, pointing to earlier threats he made against Alice’s younger sister, Emma.
The Ruggles family learned of the transfer request only after it had been approved. They contacted the minister to oppose the move, then waited 18 months before receiving the final decision.
Alice Ruggles, a much-loved daughter and friend, was 24 when her flatmate found her with her throat cut in the bathroom of their Gateshead home on October 12, 2016
Lance Corporal Trimaan “Harry” Dhillon was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years after being convicted of murdering former Sky employee Alice Ruggles in April 2017
Professor Clive Ruggles and Dr Sue Hill, pictured outside court, say Dhillon, a former 2 Scots signaller, has never shown remorse for Alice’s murder
The family was relieved when the proposed prisoner transfer was rejected in June 2023.
“You cannot have prisoner exchanges when someone is serving a life sentence for murder,” Mr Ruggles told The Mirror.
“It is a minimum tariff. Once that period ends, our legal system gives us the right to make a victim statement. Sending someone sentenced to at least 22 years for murder to another country cannot be right.”
Government sources told the publication that every relevant issue is assessed during a prisoner transfer application, including the seriousness of the crime, the sentence imposed and any concerns raised by victims or their relatives.
Almost 1,000 foreign national offenders are understood to have been returned since the Government took office, representing a 36 per cent rise.
Alice worked as an office coordinator for Sky. Her flatmate and friend, Maxine McGill, found her body and told police that Dhillon was “definitely” responsible when she dialled 999 after the discovery.
During Dhillon’s trial, jurors heard the distressing emergency call as Ms McGill tried to rouse Alice, repeatedly shouting: “Alice! Alice! Alice!”
She then told the call handler: “She’s covered in blood in the bathroom. I cannot look.”
Alice, who was employed as a Sky office coordinator, was found dead by her flatmate Maxine McGill on October 12, 2016. McGill told police Dhillon was “definitely” behind the killing during her 999 call
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Amid tears, she then adds: ‘She’s blue. She’s not breathing, there’s blood everywhere and her leg looks broke… she’s dead.’
Dhillon – whose actual first name is Trimaan – harassed Miss Ruggles after they split up, hacking into her phone and bombarding her with emails.
He drove more than 120 miles from his barracks in Edinburgh to her home in Gateshead to leave chocolates and flowers on her windowsill.
Dhillon’s actions prompted her to phone the police, telling them that she had heard knocking on her doors and windows and was worried.
She told them: ‘He’s hacked into my Facebook and sent me messages… he sent me a message saying “I’ve been in your garden since five”.
‘There was a knock at my door and when I looked there was no one there. And then it happened again. And then he’s come round the back, knocked on my bedroom window. He’s been outside and left some flowers and chocolate on my bedroom window. He’s left, he’s not done anything but I’m just concerned.
‘My friends have been telling me to call the police. I just feel a bit shaken up.’
Dhillon (pictured) drove more than 120 miles from his barracks in Edinburgh to her home in Gateshead to leave chocolates and flowers on her window sill
Dhillon was made the subject of a Police Information Notice, but later contacted his terrified ex, prompting her again to phone police. But no action was taken and five days later Dhillon returned to Alice’s home and brutally killed her.
Dhillon had served in Afghanistan but not in a combat role and the Army was unaware of any traumatic episode during his service.
The 2 Scots Signaller, who hoped to join the SAS in reconnaissance, was tall, powerfully built and was a signaller with his regiment and had passed some of the courses to join the special forces.
The couple got together in October 2015 after Dhillon saw a photo of Alice on Facebook and described her as ‘the most naturally beautiful girl in the world’.
Alice was at first put off by the comment, but changed her mind and decided to give him a chance.
Throughout the relationship, Dhillon would check her messages and question why she was trying to look nice when she went out.
They split up, but he began relentlessly stalking her when he thought she might be starting a new relationship.
Alice’s parents set up the Alice Ruggles Trust to teach schoolchildren about the ‘warning signs’ of stalking and highlight the need to protect victims.
‘As soon as the police told us, we knew that it was Dhillon. No other thought crossed our minds,’ Mr Ruggles told Our News Outlet in 2021.
‘He had been stalking our daughter and wouldn’t leave her alone.’
READ MORE: Heartbroken family of murdered Alice Ruggles whose throat was slit by her stalker soldier ex admit ‘normal life no longer exists’ following her death
