Man given Order for Lifelong Restriction for attack on woman in Edinburgh estate.
A man has been given an Order for Lifelong Restriction after attacking a woman as she walked through the Drum Estate in south Edinburgh in 2021.
Paul Watson previously pled guilty to a charge of assault with intent to rape against the 58-year-old victim which happened on 13 August 2021.
On Thursday the 33-year-old was given an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) with a punishment part of two years and three months. The OLR means that if he is ever released from prison he will be subject to conditions and monitoring for the rest of his life.
Watson attacked the woman by approaching her from behind and forcing her to the ground. She struggled with Watson and fought back as he attempted to remove her clothing.
Watson was arrested two days after the incident and subsequently charged.
Detective Sergeant Douglas Mogg from Edinburgh Division’s Criminal Investigation Unit said: “We welcome this sentencing of Paul Watson who poses a high risk of offending.
“The incident was extremely frightening for the victim and I would like to pass on my thanks to her for her cooperation and support as police enquiries were ongoing.
“The local community were obviously very concerned by this incident and I would like to thank them also for their cooperation and assistance with the enquiry.
“The OLR will help to ensure that Watson is appropriately managed in line with the risk he poses to the community. Violent and sexual crimes remain a key priority for Police Scotland and we will always investigate thoroughly to ensure that perpetrators of such crimes are held to account for their actions.”
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