MARK ROBINSON FROM DARLINGTON BUSTED FOR BREACHING SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER IN TEESSIDE
In August 2019, a disturbing case involving a man from Darlington, Mark Robinson, came to light when he was convicted of possessing and sharing indecent images of babies.Robinson, aged 37 at the time, was found to have nearly 9,000 illicit pictures and videos stored on his computer, some depicting the abuse of infants.
This grave offense led to a court sentencing him to nine months in prison, alongside the imposition of a sexual harm prevention order designed to restrict his activities and prevent further offenses.
It was revealed during the court proceedings that a decade earlier, Robinson had expressed disturbing fantasies about abusing young children.
Court records indicated that he had engaged in online discussions with others, openly discussing his desire to assault a 10-year-old child.
As a result of his previous convictions, Robinson was prohibited from working with children for life and was required to register as a sex offender for ten years.
Despite these strict measures, Robinson’s criminal behavior persisted.
In a subsequent court appearance at Teesside Crown Court, he faced charges of breaching the court order by entering into a relationship with a woman who had a young child.
Prosecutor Joelyn Perks explained that the breach came to light when police discovered that Robinson had been involved with this woman from April 2014.
Unbeknownst to her, he was subject to the sexual harm prevention order, yet he was actively engaged in a relationship with her and was entrusted with caring for her child while she attended the gym.
Additionally, Robinson would stay with them every other weekend, raising serious concerns about his compliance with the court’s restrictions.
The court heard that Robinson, who resides on Lowther Drive in Darlington, was under regular surveillance by authorities.
However, Judge Deborah Sherwin emphasized that more detailed information was necessary before deciding whether to impose a custodial sentence for the breach.
She stated, “The court will need a lot more information about what was happening over the years and how the relationship went on without suspicion.” As a result, the sentencing hearing was adjourned until September 23, allowing time for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of monitoring and enforcement of court orders in cases involving individuals with a history of sexual offenses against children.
