A 26-year-old Nigerian man has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for the attempted murder of his estranged wife in front of their child on a street in Edinburgh, Scotland. Osarenkhoe Atutie, who previously pleaded guilty to the violent offence, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Details of the Attack
The incident occurred on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, on Duke Street, Leith, where Atutie hugged his daughter before repeatedly stabbing his ex-wife, Victory Atutie, 30. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Victory sustained 12 injuries, including scarring to her face and a collapsed lung.
Lord Cubie, the presiding judge, described it as a "sustained attack" on a "defenceless victim" and imposed a lifetime ban preventing Atutie from contacting her.
Background and Motive
The couple married in Nigeria about four years before the attack and moved to London, where their child was born. Following a breakdown in their relationship, Victory and her daughter moved to Edinburgh, where Atutie tracked them down. The judge noted this indicated "a degree of foresight" to the attack.
Lord Cubie added: "She could have died. It was plainly through a combination of luck and the intervention of passers-by that she survived. They bravely disarmed you and held you until police arrived. They are to be commended. The victim's daily life, her sense of security and overall wellbeing have been fundamentally affected."
The Day of the Attack
On the day of the attack, Victory and her daughter—who was in a pram—were on their way to a GP surgery when the girl called out "Daddy, daddy." Victory saw her estranged husband and immediately panicked. He told her he had a knife and that she should follow him. Atutie grabbed his wife's hair and began stabbing her on the head and body before three men who witnessed the attack came to her aid.
The assault left Victory hospitalized for four days. Atutie was arrested and later told police: "I am sorry things have got like this."
Defence and Victim Impact
Jonny Campbell, defending, said: "He recognises, but for the intervention of members of the public, the consequences for the victim may likely have been fatal. He was struggling with his mental health at the time, but that does not justify his actions. In the victim impact statement there is a high level of empathy, which is to her credit and which Mr Atutie does not necessarily deserve."
Police Scotland thanked the members of the public who came to Victory's aid. "Without their intervention and assistance, there is a high chance that the victim would not have survived the attack," Det Sgt Craig McMillan said. "Tackling violence against women and girls is one of Police Scotland's highest priorities and we continue to work with partners to achieve this."
Sentence and Supervision
Atutie's jail term was reduced from 10 years due to his guilty plea. He will also be supervised for a further 18 months upon his release.
