COLIN NOTMAN FROM WESTER HAILS SENTENCED AFTER HORRIFIC SEX ATTACK IN EDINBURGH

In October 2011, a young woman from Wester Hailes bravely shared her harrowing experience following a brutal sexual assault that took place in Edinburgh. The attacker, Colin Notman, aged 20 at the time, was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of raping her. The assault occurred as she was walking home from a party, and the court proceedings revealed the disturbing details of that night.

Notman’s conviction was handed down at the High Court in Edinburgh, where he was ordered to serve a minimum of two and a half years behind bars. Despite this, the victim expressed her disbelief and frustration at the relatively lenient sentence, feeling that he could potentially be free in just two and a half years. She emphasized her ongoing struggle with the trauma, which has left her feeling shattered and deeply affected her life.

The victim, now 19, chose to speak publicly in the hope of encouraging other victims to come forward and seek justice. She recounted the night of the attack, which she believes was facilitated by being drugged at a gathering hosted by her friend, who was also Colin Notman’s girlfriend at the time. She explained that she only knew Notman as her friend’s boyfriend and that they were not close.

According to her account, she and her friends had gone back to her friend’s house in Restalrig around 10 pm. The gathering included nine people, and she drank only modest amounts of Lambrini and vodka with coke. She decided to leave around 11:30 pm to catch the night bus, but shortly after, she began feeling extremely unwell. She described feeling sick, dizzy, and her eyes becoming glazed. She then sat in a stairwell, clutching her head, before losing consciousness.

When she regained awareness, she found herself naked and lying on the stairs, with her clothes nearby. She attempted to put her tights back on but was disturbed by the sounds of an argument outside. Notman returned through the stairwell, doing up his jeans, and she recalls screaming and trying to escape while he was on top of her. Much of the incident remains a blur, and she has no memory of the two other boys later claiming to have had sex with her that night.

She described sitting in the stairwell afterward, crying and feeling overwhelmed. She wanted to tell her friend, but the two boys advised her against it. Eventually, she walked to the bus stop with them, stopping at a kebab shop where she tried to signal to the staff that something was wrong, but her signals went unnoticed. She managed to get home, where she was overwhelmed with bruises and emotional distress, leading her to cry herself to sleep.

Her trauma was so severe that she did not disclose the assault immediately. It took her several weeks to find the courage to tell her family, including her sister. On September 10, she reported the incident to the police. She admitted that she had blocked out much of the night but knew she had been drugged and assaulted. Her mental health deteriorated, leading her to drink excessively, lose her job as a chambermaid, and fail her childcare course. She has been receiving counseling to help cope with her trauma.

Her aunt recounted how, a year after the attack, the victim was so distressed that she scratched her skin while in the shower. The family described her as being in a constant state of anxiety, often calling to check on her whereabouts and feeling anxious if they are even a few minutes late. Her support network includes her mother and other family members who strive to help her recover.

During the trial, Notman showed no remorse and maintained his innocence, claiming he did not commit the assault. The court sentenced him to four years, with the victim expressing her anger and confusion over the short duration of his imprisonment. She stated that she would probably never learn what exactly happened that night, which continues to haunt her. She also expressed her hatred for Notman and her frustration that he has not shown any remorse.

The police explained that they could not test for traces of the date-rape drug because most substances leave the victim’s system within 24 hours. Despite her uncertainty about who drugged her, she emphasized that she had never felt the same way before or since that night. Her message to other girls is one of hope and encouragement, urging them to speak out about rape and seek support, as she did, despite her initial fears about the legal process.