A DJ who raped a sleeping woman and then confessed years later in a YouTube video while attempting to launch a career as a “forgiveness” guru has been jailed for six years.
Craig Strachan, 33, targeted the woman at an address in Edinburgh in 2013.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the then 21-year-old climbed into her bed uninvited and touched her on the body while she was asleep and incapable of giving or withholding consent.
Strachan went on to rape her while she was asleep and as she woke up.
A court heard how he confessed to the crime during a YouTube interview in 2022.
In the video, Strachan described a “spiritual awakening” when he “discovered god or the universe” in 2019.
He told of how his DJ nights in Scotland’s capital were “getting really popular” but he felt there was a “shadow behind” him signifying “remember what you did” and “you can’t forget this”.
Texas to headline Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre chief executive Mridul Wadhwa resigns after report into failings
Khasha Smith: Man arrested over death of missing Edinburgh mother-of-three
Strachan, who performed under the stage name Sesentayuno, claimed he was “dying” on the inside and had even contemplated taking his own life.
In an earlier webinar promo on Strachan’s own YouTube channel, The Forgiveness Movement, he spoke of teaching people how to “forgive” feelings of guilt, shame and remorse using techniques such as meditation.
In the short clip urging prospective clients to sign up to his masterclass, he said: “The universe has guided you here for a reason, and your forgiveness starts now.”
Strachan vowed to share his own story, claiming revealing his “vulnerability” would give clients the “power” to share theirs.
Strachan later denied any wrongdoing when he found himself in the dock over the historical incident, but was in July found guilty of rape following a trial at the High Court in Livingston.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Read more from Sky News:
Woman who was raped by DJ took action to ‘show the world no means no’
At the High Court in Stirling on Tuesday, judge Fiona Tait said she was mindful of Strachan’s age at the time of the incident and took into account the criminal justice social work report and risk assessment.
But the judge added: “Nonetheless, this offence is of considerable gravity. It has had, and will have, a substantial impact upon the complainer.
“The complainer should be commended for her courage in giving evidence, especially in the difficult circumstances of the publicity which your online disclosure attracted.
“Accordingly, because of the gravity of the offence, a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal in your case.”
Strachan was jailed for six years and placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. He was also banned from contacting his victim for 20 years.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s procurator fiscal for high court sexual offending, said: “Craig Strachan is a predatory individual who attacked the victim while she was sleeping.
“This type of offending has no place in Scotland and prosecutors within COPFS are committed to pursuing justice for victims of such crimes.
“I would encourage all victims or witnesses of similar offending to come forward, report their experiences and seek support.
“You will be taken seriously, listened to, and we will use all the tools available to us to pursue justice.”
