by Thomas Hornall

DISGRACED ex Strathclyde rugby coach Neil Livett was sentenced to seven years in jail at the Edinburgh High Court today.

A jury unanimously convicted the 54 year old on August 8 for the rape of a teenage girl and voyeurism.

The judge, Lord Pentland, said the girl was “highly vulnerable with a troubled and disturbed background” and that Mr Livett “cruelly took advantage of her for purposes of his own sexual gratification.”

Mr Livett took a “significant amount of perverted and indecent photographs and video recordings ” of the victim. Horrifically, he also filmed his rape of the girl, telling her it was so he could “watch it later.”

The offences took place at a house in Thurso, in the Highlands, between December 2011 and April 2012.

Lord Pentland: The first of these offences involved your taking a significant number of perverted and indecent photographs and video recordings of her. The recording of these images amounted to a gross invasion of the complainer’s dignity and privacy. By their verdict the jury accepted that you did these things for the purpose of your own sexual gratification. The second offence was one of rape of the complainer. This offence was seriously aggravated by the fact that you made a video recording of the act of rape; you told the complainer that this was so that you could watch it later.

The court heard Mr Livett was guilty of a “deplorable breach of trust” and that his sordid actions caused his victim “serious emotional damage.”

Lord Pentland: It is clear from the detailed victim impact information before the court, as it was from the complainers evidence in the witness box, that she has suffered serious emotional damage because of what you did to her.

The woman, now aged 21, told the court: “I have been violated not just physically, but emotionally and mentally.”

She said: “He took the photographs and video while he was raping me. I was scared and I was upset and I was crying. I just wanted it to be over with.”

The Judge made clear that Livett’s attacks involved “considerable planning and preparation.”

The former Allan Glens and Dalziel coach will not be allowed to work with children or vulnerable individuals when he is released. He will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Livett will no longer be able to coach rugby due to his wicked and reprehensible behaviour.