- Former Scotland international Tim Visser pleaded not guilty to four charges, including rape, at the High Court in Glasgow
- The charges relate to alleged incidents against a woman in Edinburgh and elsewhere across a 14-year period
- Prosecutors allege a pattern of controlling behaviour, physical violence, and non-consensual sexual images spanning over a decade
Former Scotland rugby international Tim Visser is set to face trial on charges of rape and a series of serious alleged offences against a woman, after entering a not guilty plea at the High Court in Glasgow.
The 39-year-old, who earned 33 caps for Scotland between 2012 and 2017, faces four charges connected to alleged incidents in Edinburgh and elsewhere, with the alleged conduct spanning from 2010 to 2024.
Charges against Visser
According to Wales Online, two of the four charges allege that Visser assaulted the woman on multiple occasions, including incidents in which he allegedly continued after consent had been withdrawn.
A third charge alleges that he repeatedly behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards her, with the allegations including claims that he photographed her intimately without her consent, sent unwanted messages, and sought to control her whereabouts, finances, clothing and diet. Prosecutors further allege that he isolated the woman from her family and friends and was physically violent towards her.
A fourth charge details a course of abusive behaviour comprising 26 separate allegations, including threatening conduct and sexual matters. Among those allegations is a claim that Visser sent a sexual image of the woman to a third party.
The indictment notes that prosecutors may seek to introduce evidence of additional alleged incidents dating as far back as 2004. Those matters are not formal charges at this stage but encompass allegations of physical and sexual incidents, threats, and controlling behaviour.
Defence counsel Ian Duguid entered the not guilty plea on Visser's behalf at the Glasgow hearing. A trial date has been set for 12 January 2028, to be held in Edinburgh.
Visser's rugby career
Visser was born in the Netherlands but chose to represent Scotland at international level.
He played as a winger for Edinburgh Rugby before also turning out for Newcastle and Harlequins in England. He retired from professional rugby in 2019 and is a resident of Milton Bridge in Midlothian.
Source: Briefly News
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