ABERDEEN STUDENT CALLUM DUNCAN CONVICTED OF RAPE AND SEXUAL OFFENCES IN ABERDEEN
In April 2021, a disturbing case unfolded in Aberdeen involving a young man named Callum Duncan, who was found guilty of heinous sexual crimes committed against a woman in the city.Duncan, aged 23 at the time, was convicted of forcibly abducting and raping a woman after he violently pulled her off the street and dragged her into a nearby block of flats.
The incident took place in the early hours of March 30, 2019, when the victim, who was returning alone to a friend's flat after a night out in Aberdeen, encountered Duncan in Raeburn Place.
The woman, who had previously lived in Aberdeen while studying there, recounted to the High Court in Edinburgh that Duncan initially attempted to engage her in conversation.
However, his demeanor quickly shifted to aggression, leading to a terrifying ordeal.
She described how Duncan suddenly pulled her by her hair and forced her to ascend a staircase leading to a communal landing within a block of flats.
The woman tried to resist, kicking out in an effort to free herself, but she soon realized that Duncan's physical strength far exceeded hers.
"Before I knew it, I was being pulled upstairs," she testified.
"I think I kind of kicked back a bit to try to get free, but very quickly I realised there was a big difference between our strengths." She further explained that the next thing she remembered was being on the floor, aware that Duncan was holding her hair.
She believed she was on her hands and knees at that moment.
Duncan then committed a sexual assault, which the woman described as a rape.
After the attack, Duncan subjected her to another sexual assault before she managed to grab her belongings and escape, running downstairs in a distressed state.
The victim, now 25 years old, arrived at her friend's flat visibly shaken, prompting her to contact the police.
Authorities responded swiftly, and Duncan was apprehended.
At the time of the incident, Duncan was in his final year of pursuing a master's degree in engineering at Aberdeen University.
He denied the allegations, claiming that the sexual activity was consensual.
However, after a trial, the court found him guilty of the rape.
In addition to the conviction for the assault on the woman in Aberdeen, Duncan was also convicted of multiple other sexual offences.
These included two separate attacks on a woman at nightclubs in Aberdeen on January 11 of the previous year.
The severity of his crimes was emphasized by Judge Lady Scott, who described the offence as "a very serious offence." Following the verdict, Duncan was remanded into custody while a background report was prepared to assist in sentencing.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for next month, where the court will determine the appropriate punishment for his actions.
