ROBERT BRANEY OF ST AUSTELL SENT BACK TO JAIL FOR CHILD AND ANIMAL SEX IMAGES IN CORNWALL

In a disturbing series of events that have shocked the local community in Cornwall, Robert Branney, a man with a long history of police service and involvement in child protection, has been repeatedly convicted for possessing and creating explicit images involving children and animals. His latest convictions have led to his return to prison, highlighting a troubling pattern of offending that spans several years.

Branney, now aged 73, originally worked as a police officer for 28 years before retiring in 2001. During his career, he served in a specialized child protection unit, dedicated to safeguarding children from sexual abuse. Despite his role in protecting vulnerable children, Branney's own actions have starkly contradicted his professional duties. His criminal activities came to light through police investigations that uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images and videos.

His criminal record dates back to at least 2016, when he was first found guilty of possessing indecent images of children. Between March 30 and June 21 of that year, Branney was caught with a significant number of illicit images, including some depicting children as young as five years old. This led to a court sentencing him to an eight-month suspended jail term. The court was told that Branney had a serious addiction to viewing such material, which he admitted to possessing and viewing. His actions at that time brought shame not only to himself but also to his former profession.

In May 2016, Branney was handed a suspended sentence after admitting to possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images, and possessing an extreme image portraying a sexual act with an animal. Despite this, he continued his illicit activities, which were uncovered again in 2017. During that year, he was found with a large cache of child abuse images, including 25 Category A images, which are classified as the most severe, and numerous others in categories B and C. Police investigations revealed that some of the children depicted in these images were as young as five years old, with some images involving penetrative sexual acts.

His repeated offenses prompted a more severe response from the courts. On August 31, 2017, Branney appeared at Truro Crown Court to face sentencing for possessing these images. Prosecutor Lee Bremridge detailed how police had traced his online activity, discovering that he had accessed websites showing sexual acts with animals. The investigation further revealed that Branney had uploaded a Category C image to a website in July 2018, which led to a search of his home address. During the search, officers seized two devices containing a total of 25 Category A images, 36 Category B images, and 197 Category C images, along with files related to child sexual abuse and internet searches for such material.

Judge Simon Carr expressed his concern over Branney’s continued offending, especially given his background as a child protection officer. He emphasized the gravity of the images, which included some depicting the forced rape of children. Branney was sentenced to an additional 14 months in prison, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated violations and manipulative behavior during court proceedings.

Earlier, in July 2017, Branney’s criminal activities came under scrutiny once again. It was revealed that he had been involved in online chat rooms and webcam discussions, where he fantasized about having a daughter and granddaughter, further illustrating his disturbing online behavior. He pleaded guilty to making 25 Category A images, along with numerous other images in categories B and C, all involving children aged between six and eight. His actions in this period demonstrated a clear pattern of escalating offending, despite previous court interventions.

Throughout these proceedings, Branney’s background as a former police officer and his role in child protection made his crimes even more shocking to the public and the legal system. His repeated violations, despite suspended sentences and court warnings, underscore the challenges faced in rehabilitating offenders involved in such heinous crimes. His latest sentencing, which took place at Truro Crown Court, resulted in a further prison term, ensuring he remains behind bars for his continued illegal activities involving child and animal abuse images in Cornwall, particularly in the St Austell area where he resides.