VALENTINE LIVINGSTON SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN MIDDLESBROUGH
A man convicted of rape has been sentenced to prison after targeting a vulnerable young girl in Middlesbrough.Valentine Livingston, a 35-year-old former drug dealer, lured his teenage victim — who had been drinking at a bar — to his home with a group of friends for a party.
CCTV footage from a nearby pizza takeaway revealed that the girl was extremely intoxicated and incapable of giving consent, as the court was told.
The court heard that Livingston assaulted the girl in his bed after she had been taken back to his flat following a night out, notably at Spensley's nightclub on Albert Road in July 2017.
During trial proceedings, it was disclosed that the victim awoke in Livingston’s bed without her underwear and in pain.
Livingston admitted that they had sex but claimed he had stopped when she asked him to.
Recorder Peter Hampton sentenced Livingston to eight years in prison after he was convicted of rape in December 2022.
The judge emphasized that the girl, who was out in town that night, had consumed alcohol and become very drunk, which is common among young people.
"That young girl, incapacitated like she was, should have been looked after.
She should have been cared for.
Unfortunately, she crossed your path," he remarked.
It was also revealed that the girl had fallen off a stool in a pizza shop before being taken to Livingston’s flat.
An eyewitness described her as "mortal drunk; she was all over, she could barely stand or walk in a straight line." Once back at the flat, she went to sleep, but Livingston followed her and carried out the assault.
The court described Livingston’s behavior as predatory and driven by a sense of sexual entitlement, with no regard for the victim's wellbeing or the impact of his actions.
The judge praised the victim's bravery, noting she had endured a four-year wait for justice with dignity and resilience.
He also acknowledged the courage of other witnesses who provided evidence.
Livingston, of Avondale Gardens, Dyke House, Hartlepool, and formerly of Middlesbrough, denied two counts of rape, claiming the encounters were consensual.
He was acquitted of a second alleged rape involving a woman who said she smoked skunk at his flat after a night out and then slept in his bed.
In mitigation, Paul Abrahams stated that Livingston had reformed his lifestyle since the incident in 2017 and was expecting to become a father again later this year.
The court also imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect both of the victims.
Following the hearing, Detective Sergeant Lizzie Stubbs expressed her support for the victim, saying: "I welcome the sentence passed today and hope it brings a degree of comfort to the victim who has shown great courage throughout the investigation and court process.
Livingston took advantage of a vulnerable teenage girl and is clearly a danger.
Anyone who is victim of rape or any kind of sexual abuse can rest assured they can report in complete confidence to Cleveland Police."
