FIFE PAEDOPHILE JAMES ROBERTSON SENTENCED FOR THIRD CHILD SEX ATTACK NEAR DUNFERMLINE
In a chilling case that has shocked the community of Fife, James Robertson, a 26-year-old man from Dunfermline, was sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday after being convicted of a horrific sexual assault on a seven-year-old girl.The incident took place in November last year, when Robertson abducted the young girl near her home in Dunfermline, subjected her to a terrifying ordeal, and then abandoned her in a bin area after hearing her mother call for her.
According to reports, Robertson partially stripped the girl, tied her up, and covered her eyes and mouth with tape, with the apparent intent to molest her.
Fortunately, he was interrupted when he heard her mother calling for her, prompting him to abandon his plan and leave the girl in a vulnerable state.
Medical professionals later expressed concern that the girl could have suffocated due to the gag placed over her mouth.
This incident is not isolated.
Robertson has a troubling history of predatory behavior.
In 1992, he was given probation after tying up and undressing a six-year-old girl.
The following year, he was sentenced to six months in jail for a similar attack in Methil, Fife.
Despite these previous convictions, Robertson received no treatment while incarcerated, raising questions about the adequacy of the system's response to his dangerous tendencies.
His father, Tam Robertson, 49, of Dunfermline, revealed that he had previously taken measures to alert authorities about his son's disturbing behavior.
He showed social workers a gagged Sindy doll and a rope he discovered under James's mattress, warning them of his concerns.
However, he was told that nothing could be done since James had not yet committed a crime.
Tam expressed his frustration and anger, recounting that he received a call at work informing him of the latest attack.
"I went ballistic.
If I had got my hands on him I would have killed him," he said.
"Now I feel absolutely nothing for him.
I won’t even visit him in prison." Further disturbing details emerged about Robertson’s twisted fantasies.
His father described a coloring book picture depicting a child with her wrists and ankles bound, along with a collection of stories in which Robertson fantasized about tying up and raping girls.
Tam lamented that more should have been done after Robertson’s first conviction, emphasizing the need for stricter intervention and treatment for offenders like his son.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord McFadyen delivered a stern judgment, stating that Robertson should serve at least eight years of his life sentence for the third attack.
The judge described the girl’s experience as "truly terrifying" and emphasized the serious risk to her life and psychological well-being.
"To leave a child of that age — half-clad, tied up, and gagged — out of doors on a cold November night plainly ran a very serious risk to her life," he said.
The court also highlighted the potential for deep psychological harm caused by Robertson’s actions.
Throughout the proceedings, Robertson appeared impassive, nodding to the judge and uttering a simple "thanks" as he was led away.
His history of psychiatric treatment included counseling in 1985 after being expelled from school for tying up a girl, with additional medical help in 1987, 1988, and 1990.
Despite these interventions, his dangerous behavior persisted.
Fife Council’s social work chief, Mike Sawyer, declined to comment on individual cases but acknowledged the difficulty in managing individuals who have not yet committed a crime.
Tam Robertson expressed his regret that more had not been done earlier to prevent his son’s escalation into violence, stating, "I don’t know what happened with James.
I have two other children, and they are both decent, ordinary kids." The community now grapples with the aftermath of this tragic case, which underscores the importance of vigilant intervention and comprehensive treatment for those with a history of predatory behavior.
