NEW Scottish legislation on domestic abuse must align with existing law or risk undermining its commonly understood definition, a Holyrood committee has warned.

The cross-party criminal justice committee is considering the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill.

Should the Bill become law, it would require reviews to take place following the death of a person where abuse by their partner or a former partner is known or suspected, a process campaigners argue could be “life-changing” for those affected.