• Published

A masked rapist who abducted a 15-year-old girl from an Edinburgh city centre bus stop has been jailed under a lifelong restriction order.

Aaron Strachan, 21, pulled a knife on the girl on the city's Princes Street in May last year, before marching her to a basement storage area and raping her.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that he also attacked a man with a hammer days later, and had a criminal record of violence, robbery and possession of weapons.

Strachan was jailed for a minimum of five years with an order for lifelong restriction (OLR). It means a parole board must decide if he is ever safe to be released.

Judge Michael O'Grady described Strachan's crimes as the "stuff of nightmares".

Strachan admitted raping the girl and charges of serious assault against two male victims in December last year.

The judge said he expected Strachan to be in custody or under supervision for the rest of his life.

The court was told how Strachan, wearing a balaclava, approached the 15-year-old at a bus stop on Lothian Road in the early hours of 25 May last year.

The girl, feeling uneasy, walked to Princes Street to get away from him.

She stopped at a bus stop outside the Marks and Spencer shop, however Strachan accosted her, demanding she handed over her phone and told her "not to scream".

He then produced a knife and threatened her, before grabbing her by the shoulders and marching her towards York Place, occasionally stopping to cover her eyes.

Strachan forced her down a set of steps to a basement area littered with wooden pallets and crates.

She was taken into a room strewn with rubbish, forced onto a mattress on a makeshift bed and raped.

Strachan warned her not to tell anyone about the attack or he would find her and hurt her.

He was caught days later after being spotted on a street by police officers.

Strachan, a former athlete with Edinburgh Athletic Club, also admitted repeatedly stabbing a man on the hand with a knife, causing severe injury, hours before the rape.

And he further pled guilty to attacking another man on the head with a claw hammer to the danger of his life on 28 May.

He was brought to the High Court for sentencing on 13 January this year, but fled the GEOAmey escort while being moved to a waiting vehicle.

Strachan admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice by breaking free from his handcuffs and running off into the Royal Mile which sparked a mass manhunt.

He was detained by police a short time later.

Faye Cook, procurator fiscal for High Court sexual offences, said Strachan's actions were "calculated, predatory, and caused profound harm".

She added: "Although this type of stranger offending is rare, this conviction reflects the gravity of his crimes and the commitment of prosecutors and police to bring him to justice."

Det Insp Gillian Wells, of Edinburgh's sex offender policing unit, said: "This was a particularly harrowing attack which was carried out in the busy city centre area and had a profound effect on the young victim.

"I hope this sentence brings her some sense of closure."

Judge O'Grady said the minimum term of five years, passed down in line with sentencing guidelines, did not mean Strachan would be released after that period.

He said it was "highly improbable" that Strachan's issues with violence and his mental disorder would be addressed in jail.

The victim's family, who were in court for the sentencing, shouted "that's ridiculous" when the OLR was handed down.

What is an order for lifelong restriction?

OLRs, introduced in 2006, are unique to Scotland and are designed to serve as life sentences for serious sexual and violent offenders.

They are imposed if it is believed that a prisoner has shown a pattern of behaviour which could escalate and seriously endanger the public if they were at liberty.

A judge will order an offender to serve a minimum period in jail.

Once that term has been completed, offenders remain in prison until the parole board decides they can be freed.

Only a fraction of those who have received these sentences have ever been freed.

Critics of the sentence have described it as "inhumane and degrading".

But victim support campaigners argue the orders are "an essential element of Scotland's justice system".

Analysis: Strachan could be behind bars for decades

The sentence imposed on Aaron Strachan does not mean he'll walk out of prison after five years - instead, it could keep him behind bars for decades, if not the rest of his life.

The minimum five year jail term is highly misleading and arguably forms the least important part of the order for lifelong restriction (OLR).

The judge Michael O'Grady KC said: "I consider that in view of the level of risk you present to the public, you are likely to remain in prison for many years, if indeed you are ever released."

An OLR starts with what's called the punishment part - the bare minimum prisoners have to serve before they can be considered for parole.

In an unusually detailed sentencing statement, judge O'Grady noted that calculating punishment parts is "with good reason" much misunderstood by victims and members of the public.

He made it clear that the five-year term did not reflect his view on when Strachan should be released.

Once the punishment part has expired, Strachan will only be freed if the parole board decides he no longer presents a threat. Lifelong supervision would follow.

Late last year, there were 277 prisoners serving OLRs and of the 224 who had completed the punishment part of their sentence, only 14 had been freed.

In short, it's extremely difficult to get out of jail if you're handed an OLR.

Strachan appeared pleased with the five year term when he was leaving the dock.

Once he's confronted with the reality of the sentence, his view is likely to change.