A man who ran down a woman when she rejected his advances in a prostitution tolerance zone has been jailed for life.

Colin Kelly, who had been found guilty of attempted murder at a previous court hearing, will serve a minimum of seven years and remain on licence for a further decade.

He had denied trying to kill Elaine Simpson, 26, and her partner at the time, Andrew Love, 38, in August 2000.

Kelly's trial heard that he had propositioned Miss Simpson in Sandport Place, Leith, which was at the time Edinburgh's prostitution tolerance zone.

You are a predator on women and a high risk to the general public Lord Hardie

But she had rejected his advances, informing him that she was not a prostitue.

Miss Simpson then became aware of a vehicle driving towards her.

Kelly's works' van hit her, breaking her leg, leaving her with a permanent limp, despite surgery.

Judge Lord Hardie said: "This was a completely unprovoked attack.

"Not content with attempting to strike her and missing on the first occasion you went back and deliberately struck her, unconcerned at the horror you inflicted on her - something that will remain with her for the rest of her life."

High Risk

When the jury reached its verdict it emerged Kelly, who had been living in Granton Medway, Edinburgh, had previously served seven years for two rapes and a kidnapping in the south of England.

Kelly, originally from Dublin, was sentenced to life with a minimum period of seven years before he could apply for bail.

Sentencing Kelly, 35, at the High Court in Dunfermline, Lord Hardie told him: "You are a predator on women and a high risk to the general public".

The judge added that Kelly merited a life sentence because of his history and attitude.