LINK ROBINSON JAILED IN BOLTON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A Bolton bar manager, Link Robinson, attempted to persuade a 13-year-old girl to model for him and offered to pay her for sex.Unbeknownst to him, the girl he targeted in a chat room was an undercover police officer.
Robinson, already under a sexual harm prevention order following his previous conviction for possessing and distributing indecent images of children, was re-arrested at his flat in Bradshawgate.
During the police search, officers found devices capable of accessing the internet, which he was banned from possessing without informing his offender manager.
At Bolton Crown Court, the 34-year-old father-of-one was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to charges including attempting to communicate with a child for sexual gratification, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and breaching his sexual harm prevention order four times.
Prosecutor Geoff Whelan explained that on September 23 of the previous year, Robinson, using the online alias 'Model Scout,' entered an chat room and initiated contact with a profile named 'Izzy,' who was revealed to be an undercover officer.
The profile indicated she was a schoolgirl.
"The defendant messaged her asking why she wasn’t in school and if she wanted to earn some money modeling at his Bolton apartment," Mr Whelan said.
During the chat, Robinson learned Izzy was 13 and a virgin, and the conversation quickly turned sexual.
Robinson sent her images of male genitals, encouraged her to perform a sexual act, and offered to pay £150 if she modeled for him and they had sex.
He told her, "I was thinking if you wanted to be boyfriend and girlfriend we could be and that would lead to sex stuff.
I’d pay extra if needed." Robinson also used Kik Messenger under the name 'AdiBoy87' to encourage her to send pictures of herself.
When he traced her profile to a Russian Instagram account, he became angry and accused her of being fake, stating, "I am trying to date and have sex with you.
I want you to be real." Police traced Robinson’s IP address to his home, leading to his arrest on January 14.
He initially denied contact with Izzy but admitted to using multiple chat rooms.
"He stated the reason he couldn't recall the September contact was because it was during Freshers Week, a busy period at the bar where he is manager," Mr Whelan said.
Robinson, who also uses the aliases Carl Robinson and Cark Robinson, admitted to changing his name by deed poll after his prior conviction.
Defence lawyer Michael Goldwater highlighted that the contact with Izzy was a single, relatively brief incident and that Robinson was very distressed and remorseful about his actions.
"Although he recognises these are very serious offences, he is confident that, having served his sentence, he will not cause further trouble," he added.
Judge Andrew Long, sentencing Robinson, stated, "It is clearly indicated that you have a sexual interest in children." Robinson was subsequently subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.
