ALEXANDER ROBERTSON'S SHOCKING REIGN OF CRIME IN LEEDS AND SUNDERLAND
In November 2017, Alexander Robertson, a 58-year-old man from Leeds, faced a serious legal verdict at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty by a jury on multiple charges related to his predatory behavior.The court proceedings revealed that Robertson, who had previously been convicted of online grooming offenses, had once again crossed legal boundaries by breaching his sexual harm prevention order through social media activity.
Specifically, Robertson re-engaged with social media platforms, despite his recent conviction, and initiated contact with an online profile he believed belonged to a schoolgirl.
His intent was clear: he sent a series of sexually explicit messages, aiming to lure the minor into sexual activity.
Unbeknownst to Robertson, however, the profile he contacted was not that of a real child but was operated by a paedophile hunting team called 'Predator Exposure.' This group specializes in posing as children online to catch predators attempting to engage minors in sexual acts.
During the court hearing, Robertson attempted to justify his actions by claiming, “I thought it was a prank, I thought I would test them to see how far I would get.” Despite his explanation, the court did not find his defense credible.
The judge sentenced Robertson to six years in prison, emphasizing the severity of his repeated offenses.
Additionally, Robertson was subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which mandated that he register as a sex offender for life, underscoring the ongoing risk he posed to the community.
Earlier in the same year, in February 2017, Robertson’s criminal activities took a more alarming turn when he traveled nearly 100 miles from Leeds to Sunderland with the apparent intention of meeting two teenage girls for sexual purposes.
This incident was captured in dramatic footage by the group 'Guardians of the North,' a vigilant organization dedicated to exposing paedophiles and alerting law enforcement authorities.
According to reports, Robertson contacted what he believed were two teenage girls, 'Chelsea Green,' a 15-year-old from Sunderland, and 'Lauren Taylor,' a 14-year-old.
The profiles he interacted with on Facebook were fake accounts created by Guardians of the North to trap predators.
Robertson’s messages to Chelsea included inquiries about going out with an older man and meeting up, with him explicitly asking if she would engage in sexual activity.
He also asked about her willingness to meet him and discussed sexual topics openly, including bragging about his penis size and suggesting they could have sex all night.
Further, Robertson communicated with Lauren, who was supposedly staying with her grandmother while her mother was on holiday.
He asked if he could obtain her mother’s house keys to facilitate their meeting.
On the day they planned to meet, June 2, 2017, Robertson claimed he was having car trouble and might not be able to travel, but later reassured the girls he would still come.
When he arrived at a McDonald's in Sunderland, intending to meet the girls, he was confronted by members of Guardians of the North, who promptly reported him to the police.
During police interviews, Robertson denied any involvement with the fake profiles, claiming he was simply out for a drive with no specific destination and stopped at McDonald's for a meal before heading back south.
He admitted to two counts of attempted grooming during his trial.
The court, presided over by Judge Robert Adams, recognized his clear intent to engage in sexual activity with the minors.
Robertson was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
Since he had already served eight months on remand, he was released immediately, but the court’s decision highlighted the ongoing concern regarding his behavior and the potential threat he posed to minors in Leeds and Sunderland.
