A rapist is set to spend "years and years" in jail after being convicted of a horrific series of sex attacks. Andrew Lingardfaces a lengthy custodial sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing two 12-year-old schoolgirls and raping their sleeping sister.
He had denied the historic sexual offences, claiming he suffered from a condition called 'sexsomnia' – or 'sleep sex' – which makes sufferers unaware of what they do while they are asleep.
However, a jury at the High Court in Livingston rejected the bizarre defence and convicted Lingard of three serious sexual offences, described by the presiding judge as “grave” crimes. Lingard, who broke down in tears in the dock as the guilty verdicts were read out, was told by judge Michael O’Grady that he had betrayed his three victims, saying: “They trusted you.”
During Lingard’s trial, the jury heard his offending only came to light after one of his young victims started self-harming years later and suffered a mental “meltdown” at horse stables where she was helping out. The boss of the stables gave evidence that as she sobbed uncontrollably, he phoned her older sister who was then told about the sexual abuse.
It subsequently emerged that Lingard had abused another of their sisters when she was also aged 12. The oldest sister finally revealed that he had also once raped her while she was asleep and continued having sex with her without her consent after she wakened.
After listening to days of evidence, Jurors returned a unanimous verdict finding Lingard guilty of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards one of the 12-year-old girls by touching her legs, touching her private parts over and under her clothing, entering her bed and on one occasion penetrating her with his fingers and inducing him
They returned a majority verdict finding him guilty of similar behaviour towards the second 12-year-old – "tongue" kissing her on the neck, touching her private parts under her clothing, digitally penetrating her, inducing her to touch him and attempting to touch her under her clothing.
Their second majority verdict found him guilty of the most serious charge of raping a woman, now 36, while she was asleep on an occasion at an address in Livingston, West Lothian, between January 1, 2007, and July 30, 2010. He was convicted of seizing her by the body, moving her and climbing on top of her then, after she was awake, penetrating her and raping her.
Lingard had lodged a special defence claiming the woman had consented to all sexual activity with him. He was cleared of sexually assaulting the same woman by placing his hand inside her underwear and touching her private parts.
Giving evidence in his own defence, Lingard admitted he had come round after falling asleep on a bunk bed with one of the schoolgirls to find himself cuddling her with his head on her shoulder with his arm on her stomach. He revealed he felt “shocked and horrified” and “didn’t know what had happened”.
He confessed: “To me, being in bed with a child cuddled in in that way with someone who wasn’t my girlfriend was inappropriate by my standards.” He claimed he was unaware of any allegations that he had “inappropriately touched” the youngster or her equally young sister until he got a threatening text message from her then boyfriend years later.
He said the now 29-year-old girl’s older boyfriend called him a “pr**k” and said he looked forward to “having fun” with him. Lingard said he found out via Facebook that the man was the partner of his ex's sister and phoned her to ask about the threat.
He claimed she then “weaponised an awkward incident” by claiming he had touched her young sister inappropriately.
He said: “She phoned me screaming and demanding I pay her money or her dad, uncle and brothers would kill me “I was scared – terrified. She was threatening me. I was catastrophising what was happening.
Lingard later sent the older woman a text saying: “God, I deserve all I have coming” and predicting he was going to spend “years and years in jail”.
He denied that the message was an admission that he had sexually abused the two 12-year-old girls. Questioned about his “sexsomnia” defence Lingard said he had a clear memory of one discussion with the woman in which she had complained about him waking her by thrusting against her while he was asleep.
He insisted: “I never had sex with her without knowing about it. When we had sex she did things and made noises to make it clear she was consenting.”
The jury rejected his evidence and found him guilty of the three offences. Bail was revoked and Lingard, who gave an address in Milton Keynes, was remanded in custody for the preparation of criminal justice social work background reports.
His name was added to the sex offenders' register and Scottish Ministers will be advised of his conviction under legislation to protect vulnerable groups. Lingard is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Inverness on 3 August, 2023.
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