Febuary 2010 Paedophile unmasked after Mail’s court plea A PAEDOPHILE who raped and sexually assaulted three young girls can now be named following a successful legal battle by the Mail. Robert Archibald Aistrop, 68, of north Hull, has been jailed for 10 years after he pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to 21 sex offences against three young girls. The victims, who were attacked on different occasions in the Hull area, were aged four, six and eight. A judge imposed an “anonymity” order on the case at the request of both the prosecution and defence but it has now been lifted after the Mail successfully challenged the move, arguing that his name should be published. In lifting the order, Judge David Tremberg, who described Aistrop’s actions as “gross and persistent”, said: “These are public courts and the public have a genuine and proper interest in having reports of cases which take place in them.” Aistrop admitted two counts of rape, two attempted rapes, 10 indecent assaults, six sexual assaults and one assault by penetration. He had told his victims they were “special” and it was their “little secret”. Prosecutor Rachel Harrison said: “He would say ‘you must not tell anyone. It is our little secret. I cannot help it if you are special’. “He was arrested last August and interviewed on five occasions. He declined to answer any questions but said to them: ‘I’m very, very sorry’.” He was caught after the girls told their parents and the police were called. His barrister Rodney Ferm told the court Aistrop will never “escape the shame” of his actions.