Ipsos mori

A PREGNANT attempted rape victim today spoke of her joy after her baby was born eight months after the terrifying assault.
Josephine Bagasina, 33, was convinced she was going to be killed when convicted sex offender Gordon Melrose lured her into his Leith flat.

The mum-of-two, who was carrying out market research near her home, was six weeks pregnant at the time - but did not know she was expecting until a check-up four days later.

She was pinned down by knife-wielding Melrose but managed to escape when she grabbed a mug and smashed it over his head.

Josephine, known as Joy to her friends, is now the proud mother of her third child Kieran, who was born on July 8, eight months on from the day she describes as the worst of her life.

Joy had been working for Ipsos Mori as a door-to-door market researcher on November 7 last year when she was assaulted.

She said: "I was petrified he would kill me, and I didn't think I would get out of there alive.

"I felt angry and I was so scared at the time. I thought he was going to have sex with me, kill me and dump my body.

"I was pregnant at the time but I hadn't found out yet. He wasn't just hurting me, he was hurting my unborn baby as well.

"If I hadn't made it out of there alive I would never have had the chance to tell my boyfriend I was pregnant, and to tell my two little boys they were going to have another brother or sister."

Melrose has been convicted of assaulting the researcher with intent to rape her at the High Court in Edinburgh and was expected to be returning to prison yesterday.

However, sentence has now been deferred to allow yet more time for background reports to be prepared.

Melrose, who has served two prison sentences for serious assault and sex attacks, is now due to be sentenced on October 1.


He had pushed her onto the sofa, held a knife at her throat, and put his hand over her mouth and nose. He then demanded that she undress and threatened to kill her, before punching her repeatedly.

The divorced mum, who is originally from the Philippines and moved to Britain seven years ago, had been juggling two jobs to make ends meet.

In the mornings she worked as a check-out operator at her local supermarket, and in the afternoons, before she picked up her two other sons, aged 10 and 5, from school, Joy would go round the doors carrying out market research.

But following the terrifying attack, Joy has not returned to her interviewing job.

She said: "I am a single mum working for a living to survive and look after my two boys.

"I didn't deserve this, I was working away and living an honest life. He had no right to take advantage of me like that.

"I don't know how he could be so disrespectful.

"There is no way I could face going back to my market research job."

The brave mother added: "I am so happy that he has been found guilty for my children and for other interviewer workers. I just hope he gets the prison sentence he deserves.