Woman held hostage and assaulted for 21 hours escaped by jumping out of window

A woman who was held hostage by a man and violently assaulted for 21 hours managed to escape her attacker by jumping out a window with a makeshift tourniquet wrapped round her leg.

Leslie Jackson, 38, left his victim with 54 separate injuries after forcing his way into her Aberdeen home on 30 July 2022.

Despite a young child being present, Jackson repeatedly punched the woman in the face, knocking her unconscious.

When she came to, he then attempted to strangle her and struck her repeatedly with a knife – including stabbing the inside of her left thigh.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Jackson held a blade across his victim’s mouth, threatening to give her a “Chelsea smile”.

The High Court in Glasgow also heard he repeatedly gouged her eyes and told her she “would not leave the house alive”.

The following afternoon, the woman escaped by jumping from a ground-floor window with a makeshift tourniquet wrapped round her leg.

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Alongside her knife wounds, she was also left with cracked and loose teeth.

Lord Arthurson branded Jackson’s behaviour “sustained, vicious and sadistic”.

The judge added: “The level of violence, including violence involving the repeated use by you of bladed weapons, was in my view sustained and quite extreme.”

Jackson last month pleaded guilty to the charge of abduction, assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.

He returned for sentencing on Wednesday and was handed a 12-year extended sentence, with eight years in jail and four years on licence once released back into the community.

The court heard that Jackson, who consumed crack cocaine throughout the ordeal, had 37 previous convictions but had “expressed remorse” over this attack and taken rehabilitative steps while on remand.

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Moira Orr, head of homicide and major crime for COPFS, said: “Our thoughts and best wishes remain with the brave victim of Leslie Jackson as well as her loved ones following this ordeal.

“We recognise that this type of violence can inflict lasting trauma on survivors and their extended families, especially on children and young people who may witness it.

“The violent offending committed by Jackson is horrific and abhorrent. He will now have to face the consequences of his actions.”

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Detective Inspector Andrew Machray branded it a “horrendous ordeal”.

The Police Scotland officer added: “I hope this sentencing brings her some kind of closure.

“Jackson will now face the consequences of his unspeakable actions.”

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