DAVE ROBINSON FROM CUMBRIA SENTENCED AGAIN FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE ABUSE
A man named David Robinson, who previously worked for the police in Cumbria, has been handed a substantial prison sentence once more after being found guilty of committing similar crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of children online.His past actions and current offences have led to serious legal consequences, highlighting the ongoing concerns about his dangerousness.
Robinson, now 56 years old, was first convicted in 2015 for possessing and distributing indecent images of minors.
His online communications with other individuals involved in paedophilic activities were described by the court as among the most disturbing cases the judge had encountered.
During that sentencing, Robinson received a six-year prison term, and the court declared him a dangerous offender, imposing an extended license period to monitor his conduct after release.
At the time of his initial conviction, Carlisle Crown Court was informed that Robinson had gone as far as offering to purchase a child online for the purpose of abuse.
Evidence also revealed that he had decorated a room in his home in Carlisle specifically for a young boy and had even applied to become a foster carer for young boys, raising serious concerns about his intentions and character.
The judge emphasized that Robinson had presented a dual persona: a seemingly normal individual working at the front counter of the Cumbria police force, who was later revealed to have a deeply disturbing online presence.
Robinson was suspended from his police duties and eventually left the force.
Robinson was released from prison in October 2020, but his freedom was short-lived.
During a routine police home visit, an officer examined Robinson’s Motorola mobile phone, which uncovered new evidence of his ongoing illegal activities.
Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson explained that the police found WhatsApp chats between Robinson, who was then residing on Garfield Street in Carlisle, and men from Indonesia.
Unfortunately, some of the messages and call logs had been deleted, and Robinson had utilized WhatsApp’s “disappearing messages” feature to conceal his communications, in violation of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) that had been imposed as part of his 2015 sentence.
Further analysis of Robinson’s phone revealed the presence of indecent images of children, including some classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe.
Additional illicit images were discovered upon further examination of the device.
Robinson admitted to nine separate offences, including breaching the SOPO, possessing indecent photographs of children, and possessing extreme pornographic material.
During the hearing, defence solicitor Jeff Smith explained that Robinson’s return to Carlisle after his release was a mistake.
He described Robinson as being very isolated and suffering from depression, for which he had been prescribed antidepressants that he found difficult to manage.
Smith acknowledged that Robinson understood that he would face custody once again and that he needed to confront the issues that had led to his offending.
Judge Nicholas Barker sentenced Robinson to 40 months in prison.
Additionally, Robinson is required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and will be subject to a new, indefinite prevention order.
The judge expressed his belief that Robinson’s deletion of messages was motivated by a desire to hide the sexual and indecent nature of his communications, which related to the sexual abuse of children.
As a result, Robinson was once again classified as a dangerous offender, and the court imposed an extended license period of three years to ensure ongoing supervision and control of his activities.
