Nigerian man jailed 7½ years for attempted murder of estranged wife in Scotland

Man sentenced to 7½ years imprisonment for attempting to kill estranged wife

EDINBURGH — A 26-year-old Nigerian man has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after admitting to attempting to murder his estranged wife in a knife attack that left her with 12 wounds, a collapsed lung and permanent facial scarring.

Osarenkhoe Atutie was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting the attempted murder of Victory Atutie, 30, during the November 2025 attack on Duke Street in Leith.

The court heard that Atutie confronted Victory while she was out with their young daughter. After briefly embracing the child, he turned on his estranged wife and repeatedly stabbed her.

Victory survived after three members of the public intervened, disarmed Atutie and restrained him until police arrived.

Lord Cubie described the assault as a prolonged attack on a vulnerable and defenceless woman and imposed a lifelong non-contact order, preventing Atutie from contacting Victory even after his release from prison.

“She could have died. It was plainly through a combination of luck and the intervention of passers-by that she survived,” Lord Cubie said.

“They bravely disarmed you and held you until police arrived. They are to be commended.”

Daughter shouted ‘Daddy, daddy’

The court heard that Victory had been pushing her daughter in a pram towards a GP surgery when the child spotted her father and excitedly called out, “Daddy, daddy.”

The encounter quickly turned threatening.

Victory became frightened after seeing Atutie, while prosecutors said he told her that he was carrying a knife and ordered her to follow him.

He then grabbed her by the hair and attacked her, stabbing her repeatedly in the head and body.

The assault ended only after three bystanders intervened and overpowered him, holding him at the scene until police officers arrived.

Victory was taken to hospital and spent four days receiving treatment.

Her injuries included 12 stab wounds and a collapsed lung, while the attack also left her with permanent scars to her face.

Lord Cubie said the consequences extended well beyond Victory’s physical injuries, telling the court that the assault had permanently affected her wellbeing, daily life and sense of security.

Marriage collapsed before attack

The court heard that Atutie and Victory married in Nigeria about four years before the attack.

The couple subsequently moved to London, where they had their daughter. Following the breakdown of the marriage, Victory relocated to Edinburgh with the child.

According to the judge, Atutie later tracked them down in the Scottish city, suggesting a degree of planning before the assault.

The circumstances surrounding his locating Victory and the subsequent attack formed part of the court’s consideration of the seriousness of the offence.

The intervention of the passers-by ultimately prevented the attack from becoming fatal.

Atutie will now serve seven and a half years in prison, while the lifelong restriction on contacting Victory will remain in force after his sentence ends.

The case leaves behind not only the physical scars of the attack but a lasting reminder of the danger faced by victims when relationships break down and estranged partners refuse to accept separation.