Rape victim confronts attacker in Edinburgh KFC two decades after being abused as a child

The woman plucked up enough courage to confront him and say a speech she prepared in advance

A rape victim confronted her attacker two decades after being abused and told him she was “in control” and “reporting” him to the police, a court heard.

Philip Lindsay, 68, agreed to meet the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a branch of KFC in Meadowbank, Edinburgh, on September 27, 2019.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Lindsay subjected his victim to repeated sexual assaults and rapes between 1992 and 1998.

They met at an Edinburgh KFC

But the woman plucked up enough courage to confront him and say a speech she prepared in advance.

Prosecution lawyer Derick Nelson told the court of what the woman said to Lindsay when he learned she was going to the police.

Mr Nelson said: “The complainer began to read from her speech, telling the accused ‘What you done to me when I was an innocent child was so wrong. You groomed and sexually abused me then blamed me, a child.

“You are a predator. I’m an adult now and I’m in control. I’ll now take this further. I’m going to report you.

“The accused stated that he knew that he had done it and that he was sorry. The complainer told the accused to ‘shut up’ because all she wanted was to say her piece and leave.

“The meeting between the complainer and the accused lasted for around two minutes.

“The accused said to the complainer’s friend ‘I knew this day was going to come.’

“He repeatedly stated that he had not raped her.”

The story emerged on Tuesday after Lindsay, of Tranent, East Lothian, pleaded guilty to one charge of repeated sexual assaults and two charges of repeated rapes.

Mr Nelson told judge Lord Boyd that the assaults took place between 1992 and 1998 at a location in East Lothian. The girl was aged just 10-years-old when the abuse began.

Mr Nelson told the court that Lindsay’s victim’s recollection was “hazy” but she could remember some of the details about the attacks.

Speaking about the aftermath of the assaults, Mr Nelson added: “He would typically finish by telling her he loved her. He would also buy her cigarettes.”

Mr Nelson told the court that the woman, who is now 38, had spent time looking online at child abuse survivors groups.

She got in touch with Lindsay on September 26 2019 and told him that she needed to see him the following day.

The woman then prepared her speech and met him at a branch of the fast food restaurant chain.

Following the meeting, Lindsay then went to St Leonard’s police station in Edinburgh at around 4.55pm. He was arrested just before 9pm.

During an interview, Lindsay said he believed his victim had consented to the assaults.

Mr Nelson added: “He told police ‘to me it was consensual.’

“He stated that there was no force involved, but later said he understood that the complainer would not be able to consent at the age of 10 or 11.

“Asked whether he understood why 10 or 11-year-olds would not be able to consent, he replied ‘yeah’.”

Mr Nelson also told the court that the woman had suffered as consequence of the abuse.

He added: “The complainer has struggled in relationships as a result of the sexual abuse and has used the services of online child abuse survivor groups for support.”

Lord Boyd adjourned sentence on Lindsay until a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on October 6 2020.

Defence advocate Kenneth Cloggie will give mitigation on his client’s behalf when the case next calls.

Lord Boyd also placed Lindsay on the Sex Offenders Register and remanded him in custody.

The judge added: “I will reserve any comments about the offences you have committed until that hearing.”

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