Charity shop volunteer wore Christmas jumper to look 'harmless' before shocking sex attack on teenage boy in toilet

Charity shop volunteer Patrick Livingstone, who is subject to a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order, wanted the festive attire to make him appear "harmless" as he lurked around the lavatories in Newcastle in November 2020.

Newcastle Crown Court heard when a teen went in and used a urinal, he was targeted by the 54-year-old serial sex offender, ordered into a cubicle and subjected to a terrifying ordeal.

Prosecutor Andrew Espley told the court the youth "froze" and felt "powerless" during the attack.

The victim said in a statement: "When it happened I was in total shock and panic. I was terrified the male was going to go further."

The boy said he felt "paranoid, scared and sick" afterwards.

Mr Espley said Livingstone deliberately wore the Christmas jumper "in an attempt to make himself look endearing and no threat and harmless when in reality he's anything but."

Livingstone, formerly from Sunderland, has convictions for sex offences in the 1990s and was jailed for attempted grooming and trying to incite sexualactivity with two different underage boys in 2017.

At the time of the toilet attack he was on bail for a child sex attack carried out on a boy over 30 years ago.

After staying silent for more than three decades about what Livingstone did to him, the brave victim spoke out when he saw a newspaper article in theSunderland Echo about the 2017 offences.

Mr Espley said: "He never told anyone until he reported it because he saw an article in the Sunderland Echo about Mr Livingstone being convicted forsexual offences."

The victim branded Livingstone a "monster" and said the attack on him had a "huge impact" on his life.

He said: "Nothing will take away how I feel about this and it doesn't get any easier to deal with.

"I waited almost 30 years to tell the police what had he did to me, living in fear and shame.

"The newspaper article made me get in touch with the police about what he did. It was an article about how he had been sent to prison.

"That shows to me he will never change, he's a danger to children. Him being left to be free puts children at risk.

"I will never be free of what he did to me."

Livingstone, now of St John's Green, Percy Main, North Tyneside, admitted indecent assault in relation to the historic offence as well as sexual assault andengaging in sexual activity without consent in relation to the toilet attack.

He also admitted three charges of breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in relation to conversations with and messages sent to children

Judge Robert Adams sentenced Livingstone to four years and eight months behind bars with a five year extended licence.

The court heard probation officials assessed Livingstone as a "significant risk of causing serious harm to members of the public, particularly teenagers or adolescents, especially boys."

Judge Adams agreed with the conclusion and said: "He is dangerous."

The judge told Livingstone: "You are a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public, particularly children and adolescent boys."

The court heard Livingstone has learning difficulties and is "lonely and isolated" but now has a partner.

Helen Towers, defending, said Livingstone is "capable of rehabilitation".