Aaron Strachan, a 21-year-old, has been handed a lifelong restriction order following the kidnapping and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Edinburgh. The assault occurred last May after Strachan, who was wearing a mask, intimidated the victim at a bus stop on Princes Street with a knife.
He forced the teenager to a basement area on York Place, where he committed the attack before threatening her to remain silent. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Strachan had a history of violent crimes, including a hammer attack on another man and a separate stabbing incident just hours before the rape.
Although the judge set a minimum five-year prison term, the order for lifelong restriction means Strachan’s release is not guaranteed. A parole board must determine his safety before he can be freed, and Judge Michael O’Grady emphasized that the offender will likely spend the remainder of his life either in custody or under strict supervision. During his sentencing in January, Strachan briefly escaped from custody, prompting a manhunt before he was recaptured.
