Former Scotland rugby international Tim Visser is set to go on trial charged with rape and engaging in a course of controlling and abusive behavior. Visser, who represented Scotland as a winger between 2012 and 2017, has pleaded not guilty to the indictment.
The charges allege that Visser, originally from the Netherlands, subjected a woman to controlling and abusive behavior over a 14-year period in Edinburgh and other locations. Prosecutors claim Visser isolated the woman from her family and friends and was physically violent.
More broadly, the accusation lists a total of 26 claims, including a string of sexual matters and threatening behavior. One specific claim is that Visser sent an intimate image of the woman to another individual.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Visser's defense stated he was pleading not guilty to the indictment. A trial date has been set for January 12, 2028, in Edinburgh.
Prosecutors also indicated they may present evidence about other matters dating back to 2004, which are not formal charges at this stage but include alleged physical and sexual incidents, threats, and controlling behavior.