DARRYL ROBINSON FROM DALTON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN YORK AND LONDON

In July 2017, a man from Dalton, Darryl Robinson, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast and disturbing collection of indecent images of children. Robinson, aged 44, appeared to be a model family man and a successful professional, but behind this facade lay a dark and depraved secret.

Robinson, a graduate in economics and a former head boy, had built a reputation working in high-profile accountancy roles with companies such as GE Capital and British Gas. Despite his professional success, he engaged in a sinister online life, where he stalked schoolchildren with a camera and downloaded hundreds of child-sexual abuse images. His collection was described by the court as a “library of depravity,” containing material that was both shocking and unprecedented in its nature.

The extent of his depravity was uncovered during an undercover police operation. An officer engaged Robinson in an online sex chat, during which he revealed his twisted fantasies. The court heard that Robinson had an obsession with dressing up in children’s clothing, particularly woolly tights, and had persuaded some young children—one of whom was semi-naked—to dress in tights and school uniforms. Robinson then took suggestive photographs of these children, further exposing his disturbing behavior.

Prosecutor Anne Richardson detailed how Robinson, despite his outwardly respectable career, led a double life marked by an insatiable appetite for child sexual abuse images. His actions had devastating consequences; he lost his job and was facing divorce from his wife. The court described his offenses as “thoroughly horrific” and “unprecedented,” highlighting the disturbing nature of his crimes.

Investigations revealed that Robinson had stored images of himself wearing tights and performing lewd acts, which he superimposed onto images of children in similar attire, creating mock-up sex scenes. He also used various online usernames during chats with the police officer, during which he openly discussed his long-standing fetish for woolly tights.

In June of the previous year, police raided his home near York, seizing numerous computers and storage devices. These devices contained over 400 indecent images of children, with an additional 20,000 images classified as “borderline.” The images included naked children and babies in tights, as well as photographs taken from school websites showing children in uniforms. Robinson employed an anonymous browser and a “sophisticated and well-organized” method to avoid detection while searching for these illicit images.

While working in London, Robinson, originally from Barrow, took photographs of schoolchildren wearing tights and uniforms, often at random. His arrest occurred at a hotel in London, after which he was taken into custody. He later admitted to seven counts of making indecent images of children and pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The offenses are believed to have taken place between January 2009 and 2014.

Despite the gravity of his crimes, Robinson appeared calm during his sentencing hearing. Prosecutor Richardson emphasized that although he had not physically assaulted any children, his behavior involved elements of grooming and exploitation. Judge Paul Batty QC condemned Robinson’s actions as “revolting and frankly obscene,” stating that he had exploited children for his own sexual gratification. The judge described his collection of child pornography as a “library of depravity.”

In addition to the three-year prison sentence, Robinson was subject to a lifelong sexual-harm prevention order restricting his contact with children. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and preventing further harm.