Osarenkhoe Atutie, 26, has been jailed for more than seven years for attempting to murder his ex-partner in a violent attack in Edinburgh. He stabbed Victory Atutie 12 times on Duke Street, Leith, on November 11 last year, leaving her with a collapsed lung and other potentially fatal injuries.
Attack on mother and child
The 30-year-old mother was pushing her young daughter in a pram when Atutie attacked. She was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but survived thanks to the intervention of three passers-by who disarmed and restrained him until police arrived.
Atutie was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday after admitting attempted murder. He received an extended sentence of nine years, comprising seven years and six months in custody followed by 18 months on licence.
Judge's remarks
Lord Cubie told Atutie he had travelled from London with "a degree of foresight" before lying in wait outside the address where his estranged wife and daughter were living. The judge said the victim "could easily have died" and that it was "plainly through a combination of luck and the intervention of three passers-by that she survived".
The court heard the couple married in Nigeria before moving to the UK, where they had a daughter. They initially lived together in London before the relationship broke down, and Ms Atutie moved to Edinburgh with their child.
The attack
On the morning of the attack, Ms Atutie was taking their daughter to a doctor's appointment when the child spotted her father and shouted: "Daddy, daddy." Thinking he was still in London, Ms Atutie initially did not believe her daughter, but when she saw Atutie she "immediately panicked".
Atutie lifted the cover of the child's buggy and hugged his daughter before telling his estranged wife: "I brought a knife, I will show you." As they walked along Duke Street, prosecutor Catriona MacLeod said Atutie became angry while Ms Atutie grew increasingly frightened. She desperately tried to attract the attention of a nearby man, shouting: "He's going to hurt me, he's going to hurt me." The man later told police Atutie had appeared calm and did not intervene.
Moments later, Atutie grabbed Ms Atutie by the hair and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife with a blade measuring around 10cm. The attack ended only when three members of the public ran to her aid, disarmed Atutie, and restrained him until police arrived.
Injuries and aftermath
Ms Atutie suffered 12 separate injuries to her face, neck, torso, and hand, as well as a collapsed lung and a haemothorax – bleeding into the chest cavity – which the court heard were potentially fatal. She spent four days in hospital and made a full physical recovery, but has been left with permanent scarring.
Following his arrest, Atutie told officers at St Leonard's police station: "I am sorry things have got like this."
Sentencing remarks
Lord Cubie praised the bravery of the three men who intervened. He said: "It was plainly through a combination of luck and the intervention of three passers-by that she survived. They bravely disarmed you and held you until the police arrived. They are to be commended for that intervention."
The judge said the attack appeared to have been motivated by Atutie's anger over contact with his daughter and his wife's failure to respond to emails. He described carrying out the assault in front of the couple's child as an aggravating factor. While acknowledging Atutie's mental health difficulties, the judge said he had shown "limited appreciation" of the long-term impact on his wife and daughter and appeared more focused on the effect the separation had had on him.
An indefinite non-harassment order was also imposed, banning Atutie from approaching, contacting, or attempting to contact his wife.
Police statement
Detective Sergeant Craig McMillan 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 to achieve this. Violence in any form and the possession of weapons in any environment has no place in Scotland and is entirely unacceptable."
