Man, 34, who once attacked boy before he drowned in ‘punishment swim’ is to be sentenced for raping, attacking and abusing two women in Edinburgh and Midlothian

A man who once attacked a 16-year-old boy before he drowned during a ‘punishment swim’ in a flooded clay pit near Wolverhampton is to be sentenced for raping, attacking and abusing two women in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
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Tobias Davies, 34, was found guilty of raping one woman at a flat in the Capital in 2018 and, on various occasions, assaulting her by seizing her by the hair, dragging her, pouring water on her and throwing a mobile phone at her head and kicking her body.

He was also convicted of later engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards the woman by sending her messages, images and videos, threatening her with violence and sending threatening and abusive messages to her mother.

The High Court in Edinburgh. Pic: Ian GeorgesonThe High Court in Edinburgh. Pic: Ian Georgeson
The High Court in Edinburgh. Pic: Ian Georgeson
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Davies also assaulted and raped another woman in Midlothian on various occasions between December 2016 and December 2017. He also later threatened this woman with violence, repeatedly phoned her and sent her threatening messages, entered her home uninvited and caused her to believe her movements were being monitored.

He is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.

Assault near Wolverhampton

Davies was 20 when he attacked 16-year-old Shane Owoo for stealing a bike in the Boswell Road area of Bilston, near Wolverhampton, in September 2007. The youngster was then taken to nearby Lunt Pool, forced to jump in and was prevented from getting out by two other attackers who beat him with sticks and stones until he drowned.

Davies was initially charged with manslaughter but the charge was dropped when he pleaded guilty to assault. He was jailed for 12 months but was released on the day of sentencing having already served 13 months in prison on remand.

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The two men who forced the boy into the flooded clay pit and watched him drown, Christopher Lewis and Marvin Walker, were jailed for five-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Prosecutors said the pair were “vigilantes” who had taken the law into their own hands.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that although Davies had carried out the initial attack on Shane, he was not involved in the incident at the poolside.

The court also heard how about a dozen people stood by and watched as the teenager - who was not a strong swimmer - tried desperately to escape from the water.

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A picture of Davies can not be published at this time for legal reasons.

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