A man who tried to murder his ex-partner by repeatedly stabbing her in front of their daughter on a street has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
Osarenkhoe Atutie, 26, previously admitted the attack on Victory Atutie on Duke Street in the Leith area of Edinburgh on November 11 last year. The attack was ended when three bystanders ran over and held Atutie on the ground until the emergency services arrived.
Ms Atutie was left with 12 separate injuries and was taken to hospital where she was found to have suffered a collapsed lung.
Extended sentence imposed
Lord Cubie imposed a nine-year extended sentence on Atutie when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, comprising seven-and-a-half years in custody and 18 months of supervision on licence upon release. He said Atutie perpetrated a “sustained attack” which involved repeated use of a knife.
The judge said: “She could have died as a result of your actions. It is through a combination of luck and the intervention of three passers-by that she survived. They disarmed you and held you till police arrived and they are to be commended.”
He added: “That the attack took place in front of your daughter is an aggravating factor. You seem to have a limited appreciation of the long-term effects this will have on your partner and child.” He imposed a non-harassment order of indefinite duration on Atutie, banning him from approaching, contacting or attempting to contact Ms Atutie.
Background to the attack
Atutie admitted the attempted murder at a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh last month, during which the court was told the couple had got married in Nigeria before coming the UK, where they had a daughter. They initially lived in London but following a “breakdown” in the relationship, Ms Atutie moved to Edinburgh with the child.
On November 11 2025, Ms Atutie had been taking her daughter to a doctor’s appointment when the 26-year-old approached them. The court heard the child had seen him first and shouted “daddy, daddy”, and that initially Ms Atutie did not believe her as she thought he was in London. However, when she caught sight of him she “immediately panicked”.
The court heard Atutie came up to them and lifted the cover of the buggy before giving his daughter a hug. He then told Ms Atutie: “I brought a knife, I will show you.”
Details of the incident
Giving an account of the incident at the hearing last month, prosecutor Catriona MacLeod said Ms Atutie then continued walking, with Atutie alongside her. “The accused was angry, she was scared because she knew he was going to hurt her,” Ms MacLeod said. At one point, Ms Atutie tried to get the attention of a man standing nearby, shouting: “He’s going to hurt me, he’s going to hurt me.” However, the man did not act, telling police afterwards Atutie had seemed “calm”.
Ms MacLeod said Atutie then attacked Ms Atutie, telling the court he “grabbed her hair and repeatedly stabbed her in the head and body”. The knife was described as having a silver blade and being “around 10cm” in length.
Following the attack, Ms Atutie was taken to hospital where as well as a collapsed lung she was found to have a haemothorax – fluid in the chest cavity – which the court heard was potentially fatal. She was discharged four days later, and although she made a full recovery she has been left with scarring at the site of her injuries.
Defence and police response
At the hearing on Wednesday, defence advocate Jonny Campbell, representing Atutie, said: “He was struggling with his mental health at the time of the incident. That does not of course justify his actions. He has no previous convictions and he will now have a significant period of reflection to try and understand why he acted in this way towards someone with whom had had been in a long standing relationship.” He also said there is a significant chance Atutie will be deported.
Police Scotland Detective Sergeant Craig McMillan said after the sentencing: “This was a particularly harrowing incident, and my thoughts are with the victim and her family. I’d like to thank those members of the public who came to the victim’s aid during the ordeal. Without their intervention and assistance, there is a high chance that the victim would not have survived the attack. Tackling violence against women and girls is one of Police Scotland’s highest priorities and we continue to work with partners to achieve this. Violence in any form and the possession of weapons in any environment has no place in Scotland and is entirely unacceptable. Tackling the harmful effects of violent crime, which has a devastating impact on individuals, families and our communities, and supporting victims, remains a priority for our officers.”
