Former Scotland rugby international Tim Visser is to go on trial accused of controlling, abusing and raping a woman over a 14-year period, the High Court in Glasgow heard. Visser has entered a plea of not guilty to the indictment.
Image credit: Tim Visser (Credits: BBC)
What Tim Visser Is Accused Of
The charges against the 39-year-old, who was capped 33 times by Scotland as a winger between 2012 and 2017, are alleged to have taken place in Edinburgh and elsewhere between 2010 and 2024.
Two of the four charges state that Visser raped the woman on various occasions, including claims he continued after consent was withdrawn. A third charge alleges he repeatedly behaved in a threatening and abusive manner — including taking intimate images of her without consent, sending an intimate image to someone else, and being aggressive, controlling and physically violent.
26 Allegations Listed in the Indictment
The indictment lists a total of 26 allegations, with prosecutors claiming Visser, from Milton Bridge, Midlothian, isolated the woman from family and friends and controlled her appearance, finances, clothing and what she ate. The prosecution also indicated it may present evidence of other incidents dating back to 2004, though these are not formal charges at this stage.
Defending, Ian Duguid told the court: “It is a plea of not guilty to the indictment.” Visser, born in the Netherlands, played for Newcastle Falcons, Edinburgh and Harlequins before retiring from rugby in 2019.
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Source: BBC News — read the full story there.
