Nigerian jailed seven years for stabbing ex-wife in Scotland

A Nigerian man, Osarenkhoe Atutie, has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison in Scotland for the attempted murder of his estranged wife. The brutal knife attack took place on Duke Street, Leith, Edinburgh, in November 2025, in front of the couple's young daughter.

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She could have died. It was plainly through a combination of luck and the intervention of passers-by that she survived.

Atutie, 26, admitted to tracking down his wife, Victory Atutie, 30, following the breakdown of their marriage. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the victim suffered 12 stab wounds, including injuries that resulted in facial scarring and a collapsed lung. Lord Cubie, who sentenced Atutie, described the assault as a "sustained attack" on a "defenceless victim." He also imposed a lifetime non-harassment order, prohibiting Atutie from contacting his estranged wife.

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

The judge emphasized that the victim could have died, and her survival was attributed to the "combination of luck and the intervention of passers-by." These individuals bravely disarmed and restrained Atutie until the police arrived, an act the judge commended. The court heard that the victim's daily life, sense of security, and overall well-being have been fundamentally impacted by the ordeal.

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The victim’s daily life, her sense of security and overall wellbeing have been fundamentally affected.

The couple married in Nigeria approximately four years before the attack and later moved to London, where their daughter was born. After their marriage collapsed, Victory relocated to Edinburgh with their child. Atutie subsequently tracked them down, a move the judge noted demonstrated "a degree of foresight" before the assault. On the day of the incident, Victory was pushing her daughter in a pram when the child recognized her father. The court heard that Victory became alarmed upon seeing Atutie, who then reportedly told her he had a knife and ordered her to follow him before launching the attack.

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I am sorry things have got like this.