GERALD ROBINSON SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In April 2001, Gerald Robinson was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to four and a half years in prison for sexually abusing four young boys over a span of 26 years.

Robinson, aged 46 at the time, led a hidden double life; outwardly, he was regarded as a respected educational worker and a devoted son caring for his disabled mother. However, behind this façade, he engaged in child molestation, extensively downloading explicit pornography involving young boys.

Upon his arrest last year, police discovered approximately 15,000 images of young boys on his home computer, downloaded from the internet. Additionally, they found film negatives that later revealed images of naked boys aged between seven and 13, including one image that showed Robinson sexually abusing an unidentified boy. Police also seized indecent magazines and an obscene video recorded on a camcorder.

Robinson, who is bald and bespectacled, admitted to 21 charges of indecent assault and 30 charges related to the taking or making of indecent photographs. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. Guilty pleas were entered, but 10 other similar charges resulted in not guilty verdicts after the prosecution declined to present evidence.

The court heard that the victims ranged in age from five to 16, with Robinson's offending dating from 1973 until November 1999.

Judge Nigel Gilmour, QC, delivered the sentence and stated: “You are an unrepentant and deeply entrenched paedophile. It is clear that you make no acknowledgement of the harm you may have caused to those you have abused. Until these offences came to light, you had been a good and loyal employee of Wirral Borough Council and still are a caring and good son to your mother. The psychiatric report indicates you remain at high risk of further sexual offending unless you undergo treatment.”

Outside the courtroom, the youngest victim — who first alerted authorities — commented: “At the end of the day this was all about making sure people are protected in the future. The sentence and the register will all ensure that’s going to happen.”

Prosecutor Mr. Peter Davies disclosed that Robinson sexually abused his first victim at home up to seven times, sometimes taking photographs of the naked boy. He also abused an 11-year-old over three years and took photos of him. His third victim, aged around 16, was assaulted at his home, with Robinson again taking photographs. The final victim was 15, introduced to Robinson through his knowledge of computers.

Defence lawyer Mr. Robert Altham highlighted that Robinson was a man of prior good character and emphasized that no physical pressure was used on the victims.