75-year-old guilty of child sex offences

Monday 14 October 2019

A local 75-year-old man has been found guilty of 10 sex offences, including one of rape, all of which were against children and teenagers.

Roger Robinson's convictions span four decades, against four female victims.

The first three convictions were against Complainant A and include two counts of indecent assault and one of rape: the identity of all four victims is protected by the law. 

In a recorded interview, she told a Guernsey Police officer there had been "loads and loads of different times" when Robinson had assaulted her.

Guernsey's Royal Court heard how the rape happened after she had been drinking alcohol and had fallen asleep. When she woke up, Robinson was performing oral sex on her and went on to have intercourse with her before she managed to push him off.

Despite reporting the assaults to Guernsey Police, Complainant A was initially told there was not enough evidence to back her case and no further action was taken.

Pictured: The defendant was first arrested in the 1980's but no further action was taken.

Other convictions related to Complainant B; all four counts of indecent assault took place in the defendant's car, where he would grab the victim's breasts or rub between her legs, over her clothes.

The court heard how, during one incident, Robinson had parked his vehicle and attempted to undo the victim's trousers. He stopped after she struggled and tried to get out of the car.

"I was so naive," she said in her police interview. "I didn't know what sex was. I was so scared, so I didn't tell anyone."

Complainant C said she was with Robinson, who was sat at a computer. When the victim asked to play on the computer, the defendant lifted her onto his lap and digitally penetrated her vagina.

Following the incident, Complainant C spoke to a nearby adult who told her it could not have happened, and she decided not to make a formal complaint at the time.

The final two convictions - of indecent assault and gross indecency - were against Complainant D.

Although she didn't say anything at first, Complainant D told an adult about the incident last year and Robinson was arrested - nearly thirty years to the day since he was first arrested.

Pictured: The hearing was presided over by Judge Finch and the Jurats. 

On hearing of his arrest, Complainants A, B and C also agreed to make formal complaints on their historic allegations.

Robinson, who has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, denied all ten charges and was released on bail.

Over a six day trial, which began last week, Judge Russell Finch and the Royal Court Jurats heard from all four complainants as well as four witnesses. Judge Finch reminded the Jurats that some of the "unpleasant" allegations happened many years ago and that the trial was "not a memory test". He also asked that they approach the evidence "rationally and fairly".

"It is easy to be sympathetic to witnesses," he told them. "[That] does not assist in deciding. Do not allow your own emotions to take over."

After about 40 minutes of deliberation this afternoon, the Jurats came to a unanimous decision of guilty for all 10 charges.

Robinson will be held in custody until he is sentenced next month.