Leith sex attacker jailed after rape attempt

A SEX attacker who pounced on a 23-year-old music teacher with intent to rape her after she got off a late night bus in Leith has been jailed for four years.

Sebastian Staniewski was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow. Picture: John Devlin

Sebastian Staniewski grabbed his victim as she walked in Henderson Street. He put his hand over her mouth, then forced her in a headlock.

But she struggled and managed to punch him in the crotch.

However, Staniewski continued to attack her and the victim thought she was going to be raped.

The court heard the teacher felt “tired and hopeless”, but was still able to cry for help.

Her ordeal eventually ended when a witness heard what was happening and Staniewski fled.

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Rae told 21-year-old Staniewski: “This must have been a terrifying ordeal for your victim.

“You appear in my view to have decided to follow a young woman who alighted from a bus and was making her way home.

“She was a complete stranger to you and you attacked her on the street and forced her to accompany you and sexually assaulted her.

“Had it not been for her shouts of help and the intervention of members of the public you would in all probability be appearing on an even more serious charge.”

A risk assessment on Staniewski found he posed a serious risk to the public.

Lady Rae ordered him to be monitored in the community for three years after his release from jail.

Staniewski pounced on his victim on April 14.

He remained at large for weeks until police released footage of the man they believed could be the culprit.

A colleague identified him and it lead to the kitchen porter being arrested.

In court he pled guilty to a charge of assault with intent to rape.

Staniewski was placed on the sex offenders register.