IAIN ROBERTSON, KEMSING TEACHER, SENTENCED FOR GROOMING GIRLS IN LONDON

In December 2004, Iain Robertson, a 25-year-old teacher from Kemsing, Kent, was handed a significant prison sentence after being convicted of grooming two young girls through the internet and text messaging. The case was heard at Croydon Crown Court, where the judge described Robertson as a “dangerous sexual predator” due to the severity of his actions and the betrayal of trust involved.

The court proceedings revealed that Robertson had engaged in manipulative and inappropriate communication with the two victims. One of the girls, aged 14, was persuaded to send him explicit photographs via her mobile phone, while he also physically groped the other girl. These actions constituted serious breaches of trust and sexual misconduct.

Robertson pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including indecent assault and two counts of abuse of trust. The police became involved after one of the girls attempted to take her own life, highlighting the profound emotional and psychological impact of his misconduct.

During the sentencing, Judge Simon Pratt emphasized the damaging influence Robertson had on the lives of the two young girls. He pointed out that Robertson exploited his position as a teacher to manipulate and groom the victims, creating a false sense of affection and love. The judge noted that the 14-year-old girl believed she was in love with Robertson, and her emotional distress was compounded when she could no longer afford to send him messages due to her phone bill, which led her to overdose.

Judge Pratt described Robertson’s actions as a “distorted feeling” of love, which he argued was a common tactic among paedophiles to justify their abuse. The court condemned Robertson’s betrayal of trust, stating that his conduct cast a long shadow over the victims’ lives and marked him as a serious threat to young girls.

In sentencing, Robertson received two and a half years in prison for the indecent assault, with an additional 18 months for one of the abuse of trust charges, to be served consecutively. An 18-month sentence was also imposed concurrently for the second abuse of trust. Furthermore, the court ordered Robertson to be placed on the sex offenders register for life, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.