BRIAN PATON LIVINGSTON SEX OFFENDER CONVICTED OF ABUSING TEENAGE GIRLS IN WEST LOTHIAN

A disturbing case of sexual abuse has come to light involving Brian Paton, a council worker from Livingston, who was found guilty of assaulting two underage girls. The court heard that Paton, a man with four young children of his own, repeatedly entered the bedrooms shared by the teenage sisters and engaged in inappropriate conduct while they were asleep.

According to the testimonies presented during the trial, both girls described how Paton would stroke their legs during the night. They recounted that he would quickly leave the room if he heard someone approaching, indicating a level of awareness and fear. One of the girls detailed an incident where Paton swiftly withdrew his hand from her thigh when another adult unexpectedly entered the room, highlighting the clandestine and invasive nature of his actions.

Brian Paton, aged 37, was convicted on two counts of engaging in sexual conduct with minors. Sheriff Jane Farquharson, presiding over the case, expressed her concern about Paton’s apparent sexual interest in adolescent girls, noting that he had access to the victims. The offences took place in February 2018 at an address in West Lothian, where Paton was residing at the time.

One of the victims was only 13 years old, while the other was 14. Due to legal restrictions, neither girl can be publicly identified. The court also considered additional charges related to explicit messaging and sharing images, but Paton was acquitted of these allegations, with the court ruling that the evidence was not sufficient to prove those charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

During the proceedings, Craig Scott, representing Paton, stated that his client was currently living with his parents in Livingston and had only supervised access to his own children, all under the age of 14. Scott emphasized that Paton was a full-time worker for West Lothian Council as a skilled labourer and that his employment would remain unaffected if the court decided against custodial punishment.

In her sentencing remarks, Sheriff Farquharson condemned Paton’s actions, describing them as the most serious offences involving abuse of trust. She highlighted the long-lasting impact such conduct could have on the victims, noting that their emotional and psychological well-being was clearly affected.

As part of his sentence, Paton was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service within a year. Additionally, he was placed under strict supervision by social services for two years, with specific conduct requirements. These included prohibitions against approaching his victims and having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16. The sheriff also announced that Paton’s name would remain on the sex offenders’ register for a period of two years, reflecting the gravity of his crimes.