PAUL LIVINGSTONE FROM COUNTY DOWN FACES CHILD ABDUCTION CHARGE AFTER HOTEL INCIDENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND

In a case that has garnered significant attention in County Down, Northern Ireland, Paul Livingstone, a married man, is now facing serious allegations of child abduction following an incident at a local hotel. The events unfolded after hotel staff at the Holiday Inn expressed concerns about Livingstone, 38 years old, sharing a room with a 16-year-old girl, prompting police intervention.

Livingstone's previous charges related to paying a teenage girl for sexual favors were dismissed last month, but the authorities have clarified that the child abduction case is being pursued independently of those allegations. During a hearing at Antrim Magistrates Court, which was held in Ballymena, prosecuting counsel Suzanne Gallagher explained that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) considers the child abduction charges as separate, standalone accusations that are not directly linked to the earlier sex-related charges.

Earlier, at Antrim Crown Court, Judge Roseanne McCormick KC ordered that a charge concerning the payment for sexual services be retained on the court records, despite the defense's application for a no-bill, which would have dismissed the case. The charge involved allegations that Livingstone paid a minor for sexual acts between August 31 of the previous year and February 7 of this year. The court had previously heard that Livingstone was detained after hotel staff raised concerns about his presence with a minor in his hotel room.

According to Detective Constable Welsh, Livingstone was arrested at his residence in Dromore, County Down, after hotel staff alerted authorities. The officer stated that Livingstone claimed to be in a relationship with the girl, but the girl maintained that Livingstone was paying her for sexual favors. Initially, there was an allegation of rape, but the complainant later recanted that claim.

During police interviews, Livingstone asserted that any sexual activity was consensual. He also claimed that the money and e-cigarettes he provided to the girl were gifts, intended for her clothes and other needs, rather than payments for sexual acts. Throughout the investigation, Livingstone has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that he is innocent of the charges.

In addition to the sex-related allegations, Livingstone, who resides on Oakhill Road in Dromore, faces a separate charge of child abduction. This particular case involves a minor who had been in care, and the PPS has indicated their intention to proceed with this charge.

The case was adjourned to January 9, with District Judge Nigel Broderick ordering Livingstone to appear in court on that date. At that time, Livingstone will be required to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty to the child abduction charge, as the legal process continues in Northern Ireland.