Octavian Moasea

A mixed martial arts fighter from Romania has been convicted of serious sexual offences after preying on two women in Scotland. Octavian Moasea, aged 32 and residing in Perth, was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh of two charges of rape and two charges of threatening behaviour. The offences occurred at locations in Glasgow and Glenrothes, Fife, between November 2020 and January 2022.

The court heard harrowing details from one of the victims, who described how Moasea intimidated her during the attack in Glasgow. She told jurors: 'I was physically weaker than he was. I was absolutely scared of him. I knew what he was capable of. He was a mixed martial arts fighter - he was very proud of his fights. He showed me clips of him fighting as well. He would describe what he was doing in the gym. He told me what holds he could do.' She further recounted: 'He pulled my underwear down.' The woman explained that Moasea had boasted about his participation in MMA bouts, which heightened her fear given his physical prowess.

Evidence was also presented regarding the second victim in Fife, where Moasea similarly targeted the woman. Despite denying any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings, the jury convicted him after deliberation on Monday afternoon. Judge Olga Pasportnikov remanded Moasea in custody, revoking bail and deferring sentence for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 28 July 2025 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Following the verdict, it emerged that Moasea has prior convictions, including a 10-month prison sentence in Germany for false imprisonment and grievous bodily harm. Defence advocate Simon Gilbride reserved his mitigation for the upcoming hearing, stating: 'There’s nothing I can usefully add at this stage.' The case was prosecuted by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, with Police Scotland conducting the investigation that led to sufficient evidence for the charges.

This conviction underscores the ongoing efforts to address sexual offences in Scotland, with the incidents investigated under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act framework at the specialist Sexual Offences Court. The victims, protected by legal anonymity, provided crucial testimony that contributed to Moasea's downfall.