Glasgow rape survivor ‘relieved but broken’ after rapist loses parole appeal on Valentine’s Day

A convicted rapist has lost his appeal for early release on Valentine’s Day after serving just half of his sentence, leaving his victim feeling “relieved but broken.”

Daniel McFarlane, a former medical student at the University of Glasgow, was sentenced to five years in prison in July 2022 after being found guilty of raping Ellie Wilson twice between December 2017 and February 2018. He was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

On Friday, 14th February, the Parole Board ruled that McFarlane’s bid for release would be reviewed again in a year’s time. The 27-year-old, from Inverness, remains on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Ellie, who bravely waived her right to anonymity, gathered extensive evidence against McFarlane, including recordings and messages in which he admitted to his crimes. One message showed him telling a friend he had done “despicable things” before later attempting to have the messaged deleted.

Following the decision, Ellie took to social media to share her reaction.

In a post on X, she wrote: “He is NOT being released. They will review him for parole again in a year. I’m relieved but feel broken. I was put through hell for no reason. The process has to change. But for now…time to relax.”

UPDATE: At 6:45pm they called me with the decision. He is NOT being released. They will review him for parole again in a year. I’m relieved but feel broken. I was put through hell for no reason. The process has to change. But for now… time to relax.

— Ellie Wilson (@ellieokwilson) February 14, 2025

Ellie has campaigned tirelessly for justice reform since McFarlane’s conviction. She successfully lobbied the Scottish Government to grant survivors of rape and sexual assault free access to court transcripts. She also filed a formal complaint against McFarlane’s defence lawyer. Lorenzo Alonzi, which was upheld by the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.

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Despite her advocacy, Ellie faced fresh distress as the Parole Board refused to allow her to attend McFarlane’s hearing, following objections from his legal team. She had also appealed for the hearing to be scheduled on a date other than Valentine’s Day, but this request was denied.

Her campaign for change has gained political traction. In the first week of February, she met with First Minister Humza Yousaf and Justice Secretary Angela Constance to discuss concerns over the transparency of the parole system.

Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, echoed Ellie’s concerns, stating: “From a victim’s perspective, we recognise that the parole system could be vastly improved. Whilst we recognise that currently decisions are purely based on risk, we fully support changes to the system to make it more victim-centred, transparent and trauma-informed.

“It’s really challenging for victims to accept that the prisoner in their case may be eligible for parole having only served part of their sentence, especially if they have not admitted guilt. For these reasons, and more, Victim Support Scotland stands ready to support victims at any stage in their journey.”

McFarlane has previously attempted to appeal both his conviction and sentence three times, with his most recent bid for parole rejected by the UK Supreme Court in 2023.

As Ellie continues to fight for justice reform, her case highlights the urgent need for a parole system that prioritises victims’ voiced and ensures survivors are not re-traumatised by opaque legal proceedings.

Featured image via X