DARREN RICHARDSON FROM LIVINGSTON ESCAPES CONVICTION IN HIGH-PROFILE COURT CASE

A man from Livingston, Darren Richardson, aged 33, has been acquitted of serious criminal charges after a jury at the High Court in Livingston found the evidence insufficient to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Richardson faced allegations that he had unlawfully entered the home of a 37-year-old woman in the Borders region, where he was accused of repeatedly raping her and filming her performing sex acts on him. These allegations, which stemmed from an incident reported last August, led to a high-profile trial that drew significant media attention.

Despite the gravity of the accusations, the jury ultimately returned a verdict of not proven on the rape charge, leading to Richardson's release. However, he was convicted on lesser charges of resisting arrest and possessing controlled drugs.

The presiding judge, Lord Bannatyne, expressed his disappointment with the lengthy detention Richardson endured, noting that he had spent 11 months in custody awaiting trial. The judge also pointed out that it was only after the jury's decision that the court was informed of Richardson's status as a registered sex offender, a fact that had not been disclosed earlier in the proceedings.

During the trial, advocate Depute David Nicolson revealed that Richardson had a troubling criminal history. He disclosed that Richardson had previously served time in July 2012 for a series of serious offenses, including abduction, assault causing severe injury and danger to life, as well as possession of controlled drugs.

Further details emerged about Richardson's past convictions, including an earlier conviction at Selkirk Sheriff Court in October 2007 for unlawful intercourse with an underage girl. For this offense, Richardson received a 40-day jail sentence, and his name was subsequently added to the sex offenders' register.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, Richardson left the court accompanied by his family, choosing not to make any public comments. The case has once again highlighted issues surrounding criminal behavior and the justice system's handling of complex cases involving sex offenses and prior convictions.