Andrej Palicjuk, 36, pounced on a young girl as she made her way home from school by grabbing her buttocks near her to her home in the Leith in May last year. The distraught schoolgirl made her way home before breaking down and telling her parents about the sex attack on her. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the child has been left traumatised by the incident and is now “scared to death” to go outside on her own. Palicjuk denied intentionally groping the youngster and claimed he had only intended to pinch her arm as a joke but a sheriff failed to believe his version and found him guilty following a trial. Sheriff Peter Anderson said he had found the child to be “responsible and careful” in giving her evidence and she did “not try to elaborate” what had happened her. Sentencing Palicjuk on March 3, the sheriff said he was “just persuaded” not to impose custody and Palicjuk was was placed on a 24 month supervision order and will have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.Andrej Palicjuk, 36, pounced on a young girl as she made her way home from school by grabbing her buttocks near her to her home in the Leith in May last year. The distraught schoolgirl made her way home before breaking down and telling her parents about the sex attack on her. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the child has been left traumatised by the incident and is now “scared to death” to go outside on her own. Palicjuk denied intentionally groping the youngster and claimed he had only intended to pinch her arm as a joke but a sheriff failed to believe his version and found him guilty following a trial. Sheriff Peter Anderson said he had found the child to be “responsible and careful” in giving her evidence and she did “not try to elaborate” what had happened her. Sentencing Palicjuk on March 3, the sheriff said he was “just persuaded” not to impose custody and Palicjuk was was placed on a 24 month supervision order and will have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Andrej Palicjuk, 36, pounced on a young girl as she made her way home from school by grabbing her buttocks near her to her home in the Leith in May last year. The distraught schoolgirl made her way home before breaking down and telling her parents about the sex attack on her. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the child has been left traumatised by the incident and is now “scared to death” to go outside on her own. Palicjuk denied intentionally groping the youngster and claimed he had only intended to pinch her arm as a joke but a sheriff failed to believe his version and found him guilty following a trial. Sheriff Peter Anderson said he had found the child to be “responsible and careful” in giving her evidence and she did “not try to elaborate” what had happened her. Sentencing Palicjuk on March 3, the sheriff said he was “just persuaded” not to impose custody and Palicjuk was was placed on a 24 month supervision order and will have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years. | Alexander Lawrie

11 criminals sentenced at Edinburgh's courts in March for crimes including sexual assault and drugs smuggling

Kevin Quinn
By Kevin Quinn

Reporter

Published 2nd Apr 2025, 04:45 BST

In our latest monthly courts round-up, we look at 11 criminals sentenced at Edinburgh’s courts in March.

Sentences were handed down for crimes including sexual assault, drugs smuggling, murder, and historic sex abuse at a children’s home.

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A man who caused “fear and alarm” was sentenced to 12 months in jail in connection with sexual offences which happened near the Water of Leith walkway in Edinburgh.

A former Miss Scotland was convicted of biting bouncers during a drunken racist outburst at a rugby tournament in Edinburgh.

And, a 25-year-old man was convicted of murder and an attempted murder in Edinburgh two years ago.

A former Miss Scotland bit a security guard and branded him “a ni**er” in a shocking racist attack at a rugby tournament in Edinburgh. Disgraced beauty queen Lucy Thomson sank her teeth into the hand of Andrew Okpaje and made the vile racist slur while she was being thrown out of the Edinburgh City 7s competition. Thomson, 26, also bit a second security officer and shouted “do you know who I am?” and “I’ve got so much money in my account” during the drunken rant in June 2023. Thomson - who was the reigning Miss Scotland at the time - was arrested after Mr Okpaje called in the police to report her using racist language towards him. Footage of Thomson and her sister being ejected from the tournament by security staff was posted on social media. Thomson denied biting the two men or using the racial slur. Following the evidence Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said he found Thomson’s evidence to be “utterly implausible” and found her guilty of assaulting both men and to racially abusing Mr Okpaje.Thomson, of Crossford, Fife. She was fined a total of £790 which is to be paid within two months.

9. Former Miss Scotland convicted of biting bouncers during drunken racist outburst

A former Miss Scotland bit a security guard and branded him “a ni**er” in a shocking racist attack at a rugby tournament in Edinburgh. Disgraced beauty queen Lucy Thomson sank her teeth into the hand of Andrew Okpaje and made the vile racist slur while she was being thrown out of the Edinburgh City 7s competition. Thomson, 26, also bit a second security officer and shouted “do you know who I am?” and “I’ve got so much money in my account” during the drunken rant in June 2023. Thomson - who was the reigning Miss Scotland at the time - was arrested after Mr Okpaje called in the police to report her using racist language towards him. Footage of Thomson and her sister being ejected from the tournament by security staff was posted on social media. Thomson denied biting the two men or using the racial slur. Following the evidence Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said he found Thomson’s evidence to be “utterly implausible” and found her guilty of assaulting both men and to racially abusing Mr Okpaje.Thomson, of Crossford, Fife. She was fined a total of £790 which is to be paid within two months. | Alexander Lawrie

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An Edinburgh mental health support worker has been placed on the sex offenders register after he was caught in an undercover police paedophile sting. Stuart Thorne, 50, contacted an online profile of a young child named Griff and began sending disgusting sexual comments to her in June 2023. Thorne asked the child to send him naked images of herself, chatted about her masturbating and then sent images of his penis during the depraved contact. But instead of a young schoolgirl the health worker was in fact speaking to an undercover police officer who had set up the social media profile as part of an operation to snare online perverts. Thorne, from Stenhouse, Edinburgh, appeared for sentencing at the capital’s sheriff court on March 27, after previously pleading guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a young child. Lawyer Joe Boyd, defending, told the court his client had carried out an “inexplicable” crime but has now “taken full responsibility” for the offence. Mr Boyd said Thorne was working as a support worker at a mental health unit at the time and as a result has now lost his job and the relationship he was in has also come to an end. Sheriff Peter McCormack placed Thorne on the sex offenders register for five years and ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work in the community as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

10. Health worker caught in undercover sting

An Edinburgh mental health support worker has been placed on the sex offenders register after he was caught in an undercover police paedophile sting. Stuart Thorne, 50, contacted an online profile of a young child named Griff and began sending disgusting sexual comments to her in June 2023. Thorne asked the child to send him naked images of herself, chatted about her masturbating and then sent images of his penis during the depraved contact. But instead of a young schoolgirl the health worker was in fact speaking to an undercover police officer who had set up the social media profile as part of an operation to snare online perverts. Thorne, from Stenhouse, Edinburgh, appeared for sentencing at the capital’s sheriff court on March 27, after previously pleading guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a young child. Lawyer Joe Boyd, defending, told the court his client had carried out an “inexplicable” crime but has now “taken full responsibility” for the offence. Mr Boyd said Thorne was working as a support worker at a mental health unit at the time and as a result has now lost his job and the relationship he was in has also come to an end. Sheriff Peter McCormack placed Thorne on the sex offenders register for five years and ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work in the community as an alternative to a custodial sentence. | Alexander Lawrie

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A 24-year-old man was sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month in connection with sexual offences in Edinburgh. Noor Khan Yousafzai, 24, caused “fear and alarm”, and has been sentenced in connection with sexual offences which happened near the Water of Leith walkway in Edinburgh. Yousafzai carried out the offences near the popular walking spot in the city in December of 2024. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 27. Police Scotland thanked members of the public who came forward and reported the incidents, saying Yousafzai caused fear and alarm with his actions. Detective Sergeant Jordan Kerr said: “Yousafzai caused fear and alarm to members of the public by exposing himself and sexually assaulting a woman. “We would like to thank the public who came forward and reported these incidents to us, which has resulted in him being brought to justice.”

11. Water of Leith sexual offences

A 24-year-old man was sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month in connection with sexual offences in Edinburgh. Noor Khan Yousafzai, 24, caused “fear and alarm”, and has been sentenced in connection with sexual offences which happened near the Water of Leith walkway in Edinburgh. Yousafzai carried out the offences near the popular walking spot in the city in December of 2024. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 27. Police Scotland thanked members of the public who came forward and reported the incidents, saying Yousafzai caused fear and alarm with his actions. Detective Sergeant Jordan Kerr said: “Yousafzai caused fear and alarm to members of the public by exposing himself and sexually assaulting a woman. “We would like to thank the public who came forward and reported these incidents to us, which has resulted in him being brought to justice.” | National World Photo: Bill Henry

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