A 26-year-old man has admitted attempting to murder his ex-partner in a sustained knife attack on an Edinburgh street as she took their daughter to a doctor's appointment. Osarenkhoe Atutie pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday to the attempted murder of Victory Atutie, leaving her with 12 separate injuries including a collapsed lung and a haemothorax, which was potentially fatal.
Details of the Attack
The attack occurred on Duke Street, Leith, on November 11, 2024. The court heard that the couple married in Nigeria before moving to the UK, where they had a daughter. After a breakdown in the relationship, Ms Atutie moved to Edinburgh with their child. On the day of the attack, Ms Atutie was taking her daughter for a doctor's appointment when Atutie approached them. The child saw him first and shouted “daddy, daddy,” but Ms Atutie initially did not believe her, thinking he was in London. When she saw him, she “immediately panicked.”
Prosecutor Catriona MacLeod told the court that Atutie lifted the cover of the buggy and hugged his daughter before telling Ms Atutie: “I brought a knife, I will show you.” Ms Atutie 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. Ms Atutie tried to get the attention of a nearby man, shouting “he’s going to hurt me, he’s going to hurt me,” but the man did not intervene, later telling police that Atutie seemed “calm.”
Sustained Assault and Intervention
Atutie then grabbed Ms Atutie’s hair and repeatedly stabbed her in the head and body with a knife described as having a silver blade around 10cm in length. The attack ended when three bystanders ran over and held Atutie on the ground until emergency services arrived. Ms Atutie sustained 12 injuries, including to her face, neck, torso, and hand. She was hospitalized with a collapsed lung and a haemothorax, a condition involving fluid in the chest cavity, which the court heard was potentially fatal. She was discharged after four days but has been left with scarring at the sites of her injuries.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
After his arrest, Atutie was taken to St Leonard’s police station, where he told officers: “I am sorry things have got like this.” Judge Lord Cubie remarked: “There seemed to be a sustained attack and 12 separate injuries are recorded. This is a very serious offence with lifelong consequences in relation to the complainer, who was left with significant physical injuries, scarring to her face, and profound and deep psychological trauma.” Atutie appeared in court dressed in a blue fleece and purple trousers, speaking only to confirm his name and guilty plea. The judge ordered a criminal justice social work report ahead of a sentencing hearing in Stirling on August 5.
Police Statement
Detective Inspector Chris McGlinchey said: “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.” He added: “Tackling violence against women and girls is one of Police Scotland’s highest priorities and we continue to work with partners in order to achieve this. Violence in any form and the possession of weapons in any environment has no place in Scotland and is entirely unacceptable.”
