Police appeal after visiting student is sexually assaulted

DETECTIVES have urged the friends of a man who carried out a sex attack on a young American student not to shield him from the police.

Investigators believe friends of the man responsible for the attack on the 22-year-old visiting student near to the Capital's Parliament Square yesterday are aware of the incident but are not coming forward.

The student, who is from Virginia, was sexually assaulted while on a night out with friends, fewer than 48 hours after arriving in the city.

Police believe she met her attacker when her student group met his group of friends in the Cowgate's Opium nightclub sometime after midnight.

The pair left the club between 3am and 3:30am and walked up Old Fishmarket Close to Barrie's Close, where the attack took place between around 4am and 4:30am.

Detective Inspector Scott Cunningham, who is leading the investigation, said: "It's highly likely that the friends of the man responsible for this will be aware of what has happened and we urge anyone who has any information to please come forward and assist us.

"Early indications show she was with a number of people from the visiting group who made their way from Niddry Street, through the Cowgate, to the Opium nightclub, sometime after midnight.

"We believe that she and the man responsible for this incident left the club between 3am and 3:30am, although it is not known whether they were in a group or alone. They then walked into Barrie's Close, which is an L-shape, which is where this serious sexual assault has taken place.

"She raised the alarm herself by alerting security guards on the night shift at the court buildings on Parliament Square.

"This incident has left her extremely distressed, upset and traumatised. However she was not seriously injured. Full forensic examinations are now underway, and we are following several positive lines of inquiry.

"However, we are urging any friends who have seen anything, or any members of the public with any information, to contact Lothian and Borders Police."

The victim is described as black, 5ft 2ins, of slim build, with straight dark shoulder-length hair and was wearing a grey cardigan, red vest top and blue jeans and white trainers.

After raising the alarm she was able to describe her attacker as Scottish, 6ft, of athletic build, with blond hair. He was wearing jeans and a blue polo shirt.

The student group is from a university on the US's East Coast, and their visit is part of a one-week stay in Edinburgh and three-week stay in London.

It is understood that police are now gathering images from the CCTV cameras that line the Cowgate in a bid to identify the attacker.

Teams of detectives yesterday sealed off the area where the attack happened, allowing forensic officers in white overalls to carry out a detailed search for evidence.

Uniformed police were also stationed on the Cowgate, Royal Mile and Parliament Square, while other officers moved from shop to shop gathering information and CCTV footage.