Case study: Nurse kept in car boot for 10 days joins campaign

Magdeline Makola considered Justice Ngema a friend and invited him into her home, but her fellow South African bound and gagged her and left in the boot of her car to die.

The 38-year-old nurse, of Livingston, West Lothian, said: "I knew him through a friend and we were from the same country.

"We were chatting normally and then he attacked me. I gave him my pin number and thought he would take me back to my house, but he decided to keep me in a safe place. I just felt sure I was going to die. It was really, really terrible and in the end I accepted it - this is me, never going to live again.

"When I was finally saved it was unbelievable."

She was found in Lanarkshire 10 days later, on Boxing Day, 2008.

Doctors found that her fingers were white and lifeless, her wrists, ankles and feet were cut, and she was suffering from dehydration that had affected her kidneys and circulation.

Ms Makola has been battling for compensation with the support of Victim Support Scotland.

"It took one year and eight months. For the first six months they wanted to give me 3,000. I thought that was an insult, but I would have taken it and moved on with my life. Victim Support Scotland told me they would appeal on my behalf."