ROBERT BLACK FROM HARTLEPOOL ADMITS SEXUAL ASSAULTS BEFORE TRIAL IN TEESSIDE

In a significant development at Teesside Crown Court, 71-year-old Robert Black, a resident of Hartlepool, confessed to two charges of indecent assault involving a young male victim, just moments before he was scheduled to present his defense. The court proceedings revealed that Black, who has a long history of allegations related to child abuse, still faces four additional charges of similar nature, all of which he continues to deny.

Black’s decision to change his plea came after the prosecution had presented its case against him and four other men from Hartlepool accused of a series of historical sex offences. During the hearing, William Byrne, representing Black, questioned his client about the reasons behind his sudden admission. Black explained to the jury that his memory was inconsistent and that he often forgot details from the past, which he attributed to the passage of time. He admitted that in his youth, he would sometimes seek out men in public toilets or at the dunes near Seaton Carew, and acknowledged that the victim, who testified, was around 14 or 15 years old at the time.

The victim, who was a young teenager at the time, testified that he frequently used the toilets in Burn Valley Gardens, Hartlepool, and that he willingly engaged in sexual activities with Black. The victim expressed that he held no ill will towards Black for what had transpired. Judge Howard Crowson, addressing the jury, emphasized the weight of Black’s admission, stating, “There can be no stronger evidence of guilt than a defendant’s admission.” The jury responded by returning two guilty verdicts for the charges Black admitted.

However, Black continues to deny involvement in other charges related to a different young man. He testified that he had sexual encounters with this individual when both were adults, describing how he met him through a mutual acquaintance who has since passed away. Black recounted that they met in Hartlepool and engaged in sexual activity at a railway signal box on two occasions over a few weeks. He stated that he did not see the man again until many years later, when he was walking his dog on the Headland.

During his arrest, police found Black wearing women’s underwear, a detail he openly acknowledged, stating, “I’ve always worn women’s underwear.” He also revealed that he considers himself bisexual and that he had written explicit incest stories under the pseudonym ‘Lisa’. Black insisted that these stories were purely fantasy and that he had no intention of acting them out.

The court also heard that Black had a prior conviction in 2015 for possessing indecent images of children, which resulted in a two-year prison sentence. Additionally, in 1974, he was fined £10 for importuning for immoral purposes outside the Burn Valley toilets in Hartlepool.

Black is one of five men from Hartlepool currently standing trial for a series of historical sexual offences. The trial, which began last week, involves allegations against three victims and a total of 17 child abuse charges. The other defendants include Geoff Hillier, 72, who denies two charges of indecent assault and two serious sexual offences; Alan Edmenson, 66, denying one charge of indecent assault; Joseph Brown, 81, denying one charge of indecent assault; and Peter Watts, 72, denying five charges of indecent assault. All alleged offences are said to have taken place during the late 1970s and 1980s, with the case ongoing as the court continues to hear evidence.