'Dead eyes' Edinburgh serial sex attacker nailed by American tourist

A serial sex attacker described as having “dead eyes” has been caged for a second time after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a deserted Edinburgh street.

Bhai targeted his victim as she walked home alone in Calton Road

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Americk Singh Bhai crept up on his victim as she walked along the capital’s Calton Road before lunging at her and grabbing her crotch.

He fled but was spotted by an American tourist who later picked him out at a police identity parade.

Bhai, 37, denied the sex assault but was found guilty by a jury - who returned their verdict in just 11 minutes - following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The victim told a jury she was attacked by a masked man while walking home alone at around 9.50pm on June 4, 2019.

Describing the ordeal, she said: “It made me feel used. I was terrified, confused, scared, anxious and stressed.

“It has eroded a lot of my confidence [and has] affected me a lot.”

READ MORE: Edinburgh rapist claimed that he has resisted his victim's advances

The woman said the assault has left her “scared” while out in some public spaces and has also affected her employment.

US tourist Kayleigh Wells gave her evidence via video link from a court building near her home in Illinois.

Ms Wells, 26, said she and her sister spotted Bhai walking past them moments after he had carried out the attack.

The student told the jury the man she saw was “very short, with dark hair and a dark hoodie” and said he was of “Indian or Middle Eastern” appearance.

She added: “He had the creepiest eyes I have ever seen.

“I made eye contact with him and there was nothing there - his eyes were dead.”

She said she and her sister then came across the victim further up the road who told them the man they had passed was “the man who was responsible” for the attack.

The tourist gave a statement to the police and she picked out Bhai as the man she saw when she attended an identity parade the following day.

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The court was told Bhai, from Piershill, Edinburgh, was traced and arrested near to the scene around an hour after the attack.

During a police interview he said he had been “walking about” the city centre while drinking cans of beer.

He told officers he “was on my own” all night and denied any knowledge of the sex attack.

Following two days of evidence the jury took just 11 minutes to return their unanimous guilty verdict.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly remanded Bhai in custody and placed him on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Sentence was deferred to next month for the preparation of reports.

The pervert carried out the attack just 14 months after he was caged for a sexual assault and an assault and robbery on two lone females.

Former model Clare Pentony was walking back to her office at lunchtime when Bhai crept up behind her and attempted to snatch her £1000 Yves Saint Laurent designer bag.

Clare, then 27, bravely fought her attacker off forcing him to flee empty-handed at King Stables Road, Edinburgh in December 2016.

Bhai also sexually assaulted a second victim by touching her over her clothing later the same day on the same street.

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