ROBERT BANTON'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN MAIDENHEAD AND STOTFOLD: SEX OFFENDER'S REIGN OF TERROR REVEALED

In a series of disturbing incidents spanning over several years, Robert Banton, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, has come under intense scrutiny from the criminal justice system. His offenses include the sexual abuse of a young girl in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, in 2000, and a series of indecent exposure incidents in Coventry, which have now culminated in court-mandated treatment and restrictions.

In July 2009, Banton, aged 56, was ordered to participate in a sex offenders' treatment program following his conviction for abusing a 10-year-old girl in Stotfold. The court also imposed a Sex Offenders Prevention Order, which strictly prohibited him from having unsupervised access to children. Additionally, Banton's internet usage was limited, with restrictions placed on his access to the web, as part of the measures to prevent further offenses.

The revelation of Banton's past came to light when authorities learned that he was registered as a sex offender in Coventry for an incident involving indecent exposure. In September 2006, he exposed himself to a group of three young girls, pulling down his trousers and making a lewd comment: "Do you like this girls?" The court in Coventry responded by placing him on the Sex Offenders' Register and sentencing him to a three-year Community Order.

The case took a further disturbing turn when the police in Stotfold informed the mother of the girl he had previously abused. It was then that her daughter disclosed that Banton had also subjected her to abuse. According to prosecutor Bozzie Sheffie, the girl recounted that Banton used to buy her presents and made her search for them while she was wearing a nightie without any underwear. The girl also revealed that Banton had indecently touched her, adding to the gravity of his offenses.

Further investigations uncovered that Banton, who owns property in Thailand and is married to a Thai woman, had committed multiple acts of indecency. He pleaded guilty to five charges of indecent assault committed between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2001. The police also discovered that he possessed a significant number of indecent images of children—129 in total—on his work computer. These images were all classified at Level 1, indicating the lowest level of severity. The search of his internet activity revealed that he had used search terms such as “teenage girls.”

During the court proceedings, Banton's defense lawyer, Antonie Muller, argued that his client had successfully completed a sex offender treatment program following his Coventry incident and claimed he had not committed any offenses since then. Muller also minimized the seriousness of the images, describing their number as “not a massive total” and the content as of “minimum seriousness.” He further stated that someone had circulated information about the case to all 16 neighbors in Banton’s cul-de-sac, which he implied was unfair.

Despite these arguments, Judge Barbara Mensah sentenced Banton to a three-year Community Order, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. She remarked, “These are nasty offences, to put it mildly. I have read the victim impact statement and the offences had a devastating effect on her.” The judge’s comments underscored the profound harm inflicted upon the victims and the importance of ongoing supervision and restrictions to protect the community.

In a related case from December 2006, Banton, then of Lakin Road, Warwick, appeared in Coventry Crown Court after being charged with indecent exposure. The court heard that he approached three girls aged 11 and 12 in Yarningale Road, Willenhall, and exposed himself, making a lewd comment before fleeing the scene. The incident was witnessed by a bystander who observed Banton lurking in the area beforehand, watching children and entering and exiting his vehicle.

During the hearing, Banton admitted to the charges and was sentenced to a community order with a three-year supervision requirement. He was also ordered to attend a 300-hour sex offenders' program and to be registered as a sex offender for five years. His defense lawyer, Lawrence Watts, argued that Banton had already suffered significant consequences, including losing his home and business, and described the incident as a “one-off.”

However, the victims’ parents expressed their outrage at the leniency of the sentence. They stated that their daughters had lost their innocence, and criticized Banton for seemingly escaping harsher punishment. Detective Simon Hanlon, who led the investigation, acknowledged the disappointment felt by the families but emphasized respect for the court’s decision. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of children and the challenges faced in ensuring justice for victims of sexual offenses.