Rapist bribed girls before filming them naked

A CONVICTED rapist who plied young girls with alcopops, cigarettes and cash to let him film them naked and kissing each other was behind bars today.

William Livingstone was questioned by police as long ago as 1999 - but it was not until November 2010 that they gathered enough evidence to bring him to court.

Today Livingstone, 61, admitted sex abuse involving girls as young as four and six years old.

He also pleaded guilty to taking Polaroids and video footage of teenage girls in erotic situations which included giving him oral sex.

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard that in 1969 Livingstone, of Bathgate, was jailed for three years for raping an adult woman.

Defence QC Brian McConnachie said Livingstone knew he was heading for prison again but asked for him to remain free while background reports are prepared.

Judge Lord Brailsford refused and remanded Livingstone in custody pending sentence next month.

Advocate depute Bruce Erroch, prosecuting, told how Livingstone played sex games with a seven-year-old girl, giving her sweets and crisps if she allowed him to touch her.

The court heard that he began molesting another girl when she was four or five years old. When she was older he would buy her drink and cigarettes and tell her she “owed him”.

Mr Erroch described how drunken Livingstone would tell her: “Just let me touch you. It will be just this once.”

The advocate depute also told how, years later, Livingstone approached the first girl and one of her pals.

“On three occasions the accused offered both girls alcohol, cigarettes and money if they would pose for erotic photographs and a video for him,” said Mr Erroch.

“The accused asked both girls to undress, lie naked on the floor and kiss each other, which they did.”

The court heard that although Livingstone remained fully dressed he committed indecent acts with both girls, who were about 13 or 14 years old.

The offences, dating back to 1992, were committed at an address in Livingston, West Lothian, and elsewhere in Scotland.