A woman has spoken out about how she was terrorised on a first date after meeting a man on dating app Bumble.
Lowri Llewelyn Astley was in Edinburgh on a birthday city break when she arranged to meet local man Stuart Grant via the well-known dating site.
But their meet-up turned into a nightmare for 31-year-old Lowri when he lunged at her in his flat and began screaming and shouting at her.
After Grant was convicted over the incident Lowri spoke out about her ordeal saying: “I genuinely thought he was going to kill me....I remember having the thought in my head. ‘I’m going to die tonight’.”
Lowri had been talking to Grant on Bumble while visiting Edinburgh to celebrate her birthday last year. They agreed to go on a date and met at the hostel she was staying in on May 16 before they went for a drink at an Irish bar.
They ended up at his flat in Newington when things turned nasty and a row erupted.
Lowri said the 42-year-old’s behaviour suddenly changed and he began to shout, swear and struggle with her, before she got out of his flat and called the police.
The journalist told the Daily Record how she wished she acted on her gut when she felt something wasn’t right. She said: “I had a bad feeling straight away but for some reason I ignored it.
“We had tried to get into a jazz bar, but it was closed. I really needed the toilet so he said we could just go to his flat as it wasn’t far.
“I didn’t really know Edinburgh at all so I just had to trust him. When we were at his place we had a drink but his behaviour started to change.
“He was paranoid and started accusing me of all sorts, even though we’d known each other for a couple of hours."
Sheriff Derek O’Carroll fined painter Grant £450 and ordered him to pay Lowri £300 in compensation.
Lowri says she has since returned to the capital, but finds herself reliving the moments of her terrifying ordeal.
She added: “It was 100 per cent the most frightened I’ve ever been in my life. I couldn’t work for a month afterwards because I was traumatised.
“When I’ve had to come to Edinburgh I get flashbacks. The thought of being near him is terrifying and it’s been horrific having to come to court knowing he will be there and I could bump into him.
“Yesterday I froze when I saw the pub he took me to. I sometimes think he might be on a street corner.
“I feel very disillusioned by people now, thinking they won’t believe me or help. I’m naturally trusting but I second guess my instincts now.”
Lowri is now urging other women to be careful when arranging meet-ups through dating apps, and that they’re not alone if they come forward.
She said: “The thing that hurt me most was the shame. A lot of people get victim blamed and not taken seriously.
“I want other women to know they aren’t alone when they come forward. Even when they don’t want to be brave and just want to forget, by working together we can make a difference.
Fiscal depute Klaudia Wasilewska told Edinburgh Sheriff Court how Grant and Lowri, from Bangor, Wales, chatted over a dating app for a couple of days.
Ms Wasilewska said the pair met up and went to a pub before going to Grant’s flat in the city’s Newington area.
She said “there was a disagreement between them” and the accused “lunged” toward Lowri and there was a “short struggle”.
The court was told Lowri was “distressed” by the incident which took place on the evening of March 16 last year.
Defence agent Atlanta Jack said both her client and victim had been drinking before there was a disagreement.
Ms Jack said Grant was “extremely regretful” and wished to apologise to Lowri.
A spokesperson for Bumble said: "We are shocked and saddened by this horrible crime. In accordance with our Community Guidelines, we blocked this member as soon as we were made aware of this situation.
"Lowri has shown tremendous courage in coming forward to hold this individual accountable."
