Man attacked and raped sleeping woman at flat in Edinburgh

A man preyed on a sleeping woman and subjected her to an assault and rape ordeal that continued after she awoke.

Sohaib Ahmadzai, 22, attacked the victim at a flat in Edinburgh after she felt tired and lay down to sleep.

But the woman woke up after feeling pain and when she became aware of what was happening, she pushed Ahmadzai.

She left the flat and got a taxi and made a 999 call to emergency services to report the attack. She was found to have sustained injuries.

Advocate depute Leanne McQuillan told the High Court in Edinburgh: “This report was made almost immediately.”

The prosecutor said: “When someone is asleep as she said she was when the incident started they cannot consent.”

First offender Ahmadzai, of Oxgangs, in Edinburgh, had denied assaulting and raping the woman on May 23, 2024 at a flat in the Abbeyhill area of the city.

But a jury found him guilty of attacking her when she was asleep and incapable of consenting, and raping her.

After the verdict, the trial judge told Ahmadzai, who followed proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, that he was convicted of a serious offence.

Lady Haldane said: “For a conviction of this nature there is no alternative to a custodial sentence, that is to say imprisonment.”

She adjourned sentencing for the preparation of a background report and remanded Ahmadzai, who was on bail, in custody. He was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Ahmadzai was acquitted of a further charge of rape against another person at another flat in Edinburgh on July 18 last year, which he denied.