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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Robert Fairnie

Man who "loitered" on street near Haymarket before trying to sexually assault woman is jailed

A 21-year-old man who "loitered" on a street near Edinburgh Haymarket before trying to sexually assault a woman has been jailed.

Juan Martin Comba Valdez was sentenced to 18 months in prison when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Valdez grabbed his 19-year-old victim and tried to indecently assault her when she was on Morrison Street and making her way home from a night out with friends during the early hours of Sunday 12 May.

However the woman was able to fight him off, and Valdez ran away towards Lothian Road.

Police conducted an investigation and the 21-year-old was charged the following day.

Detective Constable Andrew Martin from the public protection unit paid tribute to the bravery of the victim. 

He said: "From the inquiries we carried out, it appears that Juan Valdez was loitering within the Morrison Street area with the intention of targeting someone.

"He did not know his victim and he subjected her to a very frightening ordeal. Thankfully, however, she was able to bravely fight him off and prevent a more serious assault from taking place.

"I'd like to thank this woman for her bravery, both during the incident, and then in her support of our investigation, which ultimately resulted in Valdez receiving a custodial sentence.

"We treat all reports of sexual crime with the utmost seriousness and will investigate any such offences robustly to identify perpetrators and bring them to justice."

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