ROBERT EUSTACE FROM AYLSHAM SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING TEENAGERS IN YORKSHIRE AND NORFOLK

In May 2019, Robert Eustace, a man from Aylsham, Norfolk, was sentenced to over five years in prison for a series of disturbing sexual offences involving underage boys. Eustace, aged 54, engaged in a calculated pattern of grooming vulnerable teenagers through social media platforms, offering gifts and arranging clandestine meetings at hotels and wooded areas for sexual encounters.

His predatory behavior extended across different regions, including Yorkshire, where the authorities uncovered his illicit activities. The case came to light after a mother from Wakefield discovered sexually explicit messages on her 15-year-old son's iPad, which had been sent by Eustace under the alias 'Rob Norfolk.' Concerned, she contacted West Yorkshire Police, leading to a detailed investigation.

During the investigation, law enforcement officials found indecent images of children on Eustace’s mobile devices, including his phone, which contained a total of 190 such images. Among these, 37 were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of child exploitation material. The evidence painted a disturbing picture of Eustace’s online activities, which involved sending sexually explicit messages and attempting to establish physical meetings with minors.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Eustace had led a 'fantasy double life,' actively contacting young boys on social media and engaging in sexually explicit conversations. He pleaded guilty to six sexual offences committed over a six-year span from 2011 to 2017, involving three different boys. The charges included engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, arranging or facilitating child sex offences, and possession of indecent images of children, including an extreme pornographic image.

Prosecutor Abigail Langford explained that the offending was uncovered in April 2017 when the Wakefield mother discovered messages Eustace had sent under the pseudonym 'Rob Norfolk.' These messages explicitly expressed his desire to have sex with the teenager and detailed plans to meet. Further investigations revealed that Eustace had contacted another 15-year-old boy in 2011 and 2012 via Skype, where he attempted to arrange a meeting, though the young victim was too frightened to follow through.

Additional evidence showed that Eustace had also contacted a 13-year-old boy through Kik Messenger. He offered to buy the child a vape in exchange for sex and asked for indecent images of the boy. When the young boy indicated he had not told anyone about their plans to meet in woodland, Eustace responded with a message saying, “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”

Eustace, who resides at Sir Williams Close, Aylsham, Norfolk, admitted to multiple charges, including two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a minor, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of arranging or facilitating child sex offences, possession of indecent images, and possession of an extreme pornographic image. His pleas were entered on the day a victim was scheduled to give video evidence in court.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar sentenced Eustace to five and a half years in prison. In his remarks, the judge emphasized the psychological harm inflicted on the victims and their families. He stated, “The meetings never took place. What pleasure you derived from making such suggestions, only you know. But the aftermath once these matters came to light has caused a considerable amount of damage. Not only to the complainants, but collateral damage in so far as their families were concerned.”

The judge further highlighted the impact on the children, noting that they had become anxious and lost confidence, with one child already vulnerable due to mental health issues. He expressed concern over Eustace’s own child, questioning how he would feel if his own child were to be groomed by someone else, underscoring the gravity of his actions and the betrayal of trust involved.