'˜Lurking' pervert propositioned schoolboy in Sunderland bus station

Patrick Livingstone approached the 15-year-old, who was waiting for friends at the Sunderland interchange on a Sunday morning, and asked him to engage in sexual activity.

Newcastle Crown Court heard a nearby police officer had noticed the boy looking "extremely uncomfortable" during the exchange with the stranger and so intervened.

Livingstone was on bail at the time for trying to meet another underage boy he had befriended through social media.

The 49-year-old had sent the 14-year-old "multiple messages" and suggested they should meet.

The court heard the boy reported his online behaviour and Livingstone initially claimed it had been a "joke" but he later pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Livingstone pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity in relation to his approach at the bus station.

Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Livingstone, of Corporation Road, Sunderland, to 20 months behind bars with ten years sex offender registration and a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

As part of the order, Livingstone is banned from the bus station unless he can prove he plans to travel.

Judge Earl told him: "You are prohibited from entering the concourse of Sunderland bus station other than for the specific purpose of bus travel and when you are in lawful possession of a ticket or pass, valid for the day in question and your intended journey."

Mark Styles, defending, said Livingstone is a "lonely and isolated" man who has mental health difficulties and has struggled after the death of his mother.

Mr Styles added; "He understands he has to keep away from any sort of contact with boys.

"It is doing no good at all handing around in public places. Lurking about in Sunderland bus station on a Sunday morning is not something which has been carefully thought through.

"He has acted on impulse on both occasions."

Mr Styles said Livingstone has been "bullied" by other prisoners while in custody on remand.