Man appears in court charged with nine sex offences after 'spate of attacks' in Edinburgh

A man has appeared in court charged with nine sex offences following a spate of alleged attacks in the same area of Edinburgh.

The first alleged incident occurred in the Stockbridge area at around 5.20pm on Friday, December 12, on Fettes Row, where a woman was approached from behind by a man who sexually assaulted her and made sexual comments.

Approximately ten minutes later, at around 5.30pm, a second woman was walking her dog on Inverleith Row when she was reportedly approached from behind and sexually assaulted.

The suspect then walked down Inverleith Row towards Dundas Street.

A short time later, a third woman was allegedly assaulted as she walked past Stockbridge Church on Saxe Coburg Street. During this incident, the man reportedly sexually assaulted the woman and exposed himself.

Three further incidents were reported thereafter in the Dean Bank Lane and Royal Crescent areas.

Shashank Kasturi appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged with one count of coercing a person into being present during a sexual activity, two counts of sexual exposure and six counts of sexual assault.

The 22-year-old from Edinburgh made no plea. He was remanded in custody and is due appear in court for a second time within the next eight days.