ROBERT COOK'S HORRIFIC ABUSE IN HARRABY: CHILD VICTIM'S TRAUMA REVEALED
| Red Rose Database
Harraby Rapist
In November 2013, a disturbing case of child abuse emerged from Harraby, where Robert Cook, a man residing on Eldon Drive, was convicted of multiple heinous crimes involving a young boy. The allegations detailed a series of sexual assaults committed by Cook against a boy aged between seven and nine years old during the late 1980s, a period when Cook was in his late teens.
Despite his denial of any wrongdoing, the evidence presented in the Crown Court was overwhelming. Cook faced charges including four counts of indecent assault and three counts of incitement to commit gross indecency. Notably, some of these offenses, if committed today, would be classified as rape under current legal standards. During the trial, Cook was also tried for an additional count of incitement, which the jury found not proven. This particular incident was alleged to have occurred in a different residence from the others.
The jury, after a swift deliberation lasting less than thirty minutes, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on the charges. The court proceedings spanned four days, during which the court heard harrowing details of the abuse. It was revealed that Cook was babysitting the young boy at various locations, including his living room, bedroom, and at the top of his stairs. To silence the boy and prevent him from revealing the abuse, Cook would give him sweets, a tactic that added to the child's trauma.
Prosecutor Tim Brennand described Cook’s motives, stating that the crimes were committed “to vent his sexual frustrations as he was emerging from puberty and adolescence.” The impact on the victim was profound, with the court hearing that the boy had suffered ongoing psychiatric issues as a result of the abuse. The prosecutor emphasized that the victim had been tormented for years, haunted by what had happened to him at the hands of Cook.
It was also disclosed that the victim did not disclose the abuse until six years prior to the trial, confiding in a girlfriend. She subsequently reported the matter to the police, but no action was taken at that time because the victim had not made a formal complaint himself. Later, in 2010, the victim confided in his mother, who confronted Cook, but again, no legal steps were initiated. It was only in the previous year, when staff at the Carleton Clinic, where the victim was receiving treatment for depression and other mental health issues, contacted the police, that the case was finally pursued.
Following the guilty verdicts, Robert Cook, who had an extensive criminal record with 153 previous convictions—none of which were related to sexual offenses—was placed on the sex offenders’ register. He was also remanded into custody pending the preparation of background reports. The sentencing is scheduled for December 19, with Judge Paul Batty QC making it clear that Cook’s actions had “devastated” his victim’s life. The judge indicated that a prison sentence of “some length” was inevitable, emphasizing that Cook’s conduct was profoundly damaging.
Judge Batty addressed Cook directly, stating, “The boy was of an age when he knew perfectly well that this was a very wrong thing to do. It was a course of conduct which had appalling consequences as far as your unfortunate victim is concerned.” The court’s verdict underscored the severity of the crimes and the lasting impact on the young victim, highlighting the importance of justice in such tragic cases.
Despite his denial of any wrongdoing, the evidence presented in the Crown Court was overwhelming. Cook faced charges including four counts of indecent assault and three counts of incitement to commit gross indecency. Notably, some of these offenses, if committed today, would be classified as rape under current legal standards. During the trial, Cook was also tried for an additional count of incitement, which the jury found not proven. This particular incident was alleged to have occurred in a different residence from the others.
The jury, after a swift deliberation lasting less than thirty minutes, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on the charges. The court proceedings spanned four days, during which the court heard harrowing details of the abuse. It was revealed that Cook was babysitting the young boy at various locations, including his living room, bedroom, and at the top of his stairs. To silence the boy and prevent him from revealing the abuse, Cook would give him sweets, a tactic that added to the child's trauma.
Prosecutor Tim Brennand described Cook’s motives, stating that the crimes were committed “to vent his sexual frustrations as he was emerging from puberty and adolescence.” The impact on the victim was profound, with the court hearing that the boy had suffered ongoing psychiatric issues as a result of the abuse. The prosecutor emphasized that the victim had been tormented for years, haunted by what had happened to him at the hands of Cook.
It was also disclosed that the victim did not disclose the abuse until six years prior to the trial, confiding in a girlfriend. She subsequently reported the matter to the police, but no action was taken at that time because the victim had not made a formal complaint himself. Later, in 2010, the victim confided in his mother, who confronted Cook, but again, no legal steps were initiated. It was only in the previous year, when staff at the Carleton Clinic, where the victim was receiving treatment for depression and other mental health issues, contacted the police, that the case was finally pursued.
Following the guilty verdicts, Robert Cook, who had an extensive criminal record with 153 previous convictions—none of which were related to sexual offenses—was placed on the sex offenders’ register. He was also remanded into custody pending the preparation of background reports. The sentencing is scheduled for December 19, with Judge Paul Batty QC making it clear that Cook’s actions had “devastated” his victim’s life. The judge indicated that a prison sentence of “some length” was inevitable, emphasizing that Cook’s conduct was profoundly damaging.
Judge Batty addressed Cook directly, stating, “The boy was of an age when he knew perfectly well that this was a very wrong thing to do. It was a course of conduct which had appalling consequences as far as your unfortunate victim is concerned.” The court’s verdict underscored the severity of the crimes and the lasting impact on the young victim, highlighting the importance of justice in such tragic cases.