Sex attacker struck twice within four days

A man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women within the space of four days in Dundee.

Gigi Ciriblan, a 37-year-old Romanian, groped and kissed a young woman who was waiting at a bus stop, claiming that he thought she was a prostitute.

He also sexually assaulted another woman in the city.

Ciriblan faced six charges at a trial at the High Court in Dunfermline with the jury returning verdicts of not proven in four of these, including two rape allegations.

He was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman by touching her private parts over her clothing on 24th August last year in Arbroath Road.

He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman by repeatedly kissing her, repeatedly touching her leg and attempting to touch her inner thigh, in Seagate on 28th August.

Ciriblan was accused of raping a woman in Baxter Park, raping another woman in Ladywell Avenue and attempting to rape a third woman in Morgan Place. Not proven verdicts were returned on these charges and another allegation of sexual assault in Baxter Park.

Ciriblan does not speak English and gave evidence at his trial through a translator.

Questioned about the Seagate assault, he said he thought the young female waiting at the bus stop was a prostitute.

“Why did you think she was a prostitute?” asked advocate depute Stephen McCloy.

“I don’t know what to say,” Ciriblan answered.

“But you came to the conclusion just by looking that she was a prostitute?” asked Mr McCloy.

“I asked her the time. I sat down next to her. I gestured to her. I kissed her and stroked her. I didn’t do anything else. I just touched her on the leg.”

The victim was found in a hysterical condition by passers-by shortly afterwards.

Lord Beckett placed Ciriblan on the sex offenders register and called for reports.

Ciriblan was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on 3rd August.