By Grâçia Ada Obi
A former DJ who confessed to rape in a Youtube video while attempting to launch a career as a “forgiveness” guru, has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Craig Strachan, 33, was convicted by a jury in July after denying the crime during his trial at the High Court in Livingston.
Strachan, who performed internationally under the stage name Sesentayuno and was based in Barcelona, was found guilty of raping a woman at an address in Edinburgh in 2013. He was 21 at the time when he climbed into the victim’s bed uninvited and sexually assaulted her while she slept, before raping her when she woke, according to prosecutors.
In 2022, Strachan made a startling confession during an interview on the YouTube channel I’mPossible Conversation. In the interview, he admitted, “I totally fucked up and raped a girl” while under the influence of drugs.
Strachan said he had turned to God in 2019 and that guilt over the assault had been “eating me inside” as he became more well-known in Edinburgh’s music scene. He also admitted to contemplating suicide as a result of the guilt.
Strachan attempted to rebrand himself as a “forgiveness” expert through his own YouTube channel, The Forgiveness Movement, where he claimed to help others deal with feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse.
In one video, posted in 2022, he addressed viewers struggling with forgiveness, saying: “If you’re watching this video, you’re struggling to forgive yourself. You may be feeling feelings of guilt, of shame, of remorse… If so, please do not worry. The universe has guided you here for a reason, and your forgiveness starts now.”
He promoted a masterclass on forgiveness, offering to teach techniques such as meditation and the law of attraction. In the same video, Strachan offered to share his personal story, claiming that his “vulnerability” would empower others to share their own.
On Tuesday (October 15), Strachan was sentenced at the High Court in Stirling.
In addition to the six-year prison term, he was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
A 20-year non-harassment order was also granted, preventing him from contacting or attempting to contact the victim.