ROBERT KING, BLYTH CHILD RAPIST, SENTENCED AFTER HORRIFIC ABUSE IN NEWCASTLE AND BLYTH

In August 2007, a disturbing case of child sexual abuse culminated in the conviction and sentencing of Robert King, a man from Blyth, Northumberland, who subjected a young girl to a series of heinous acts over an 18-month period. The case, which was heard at Newcastle Crown Court, brought to light the grave violations committed by King against a seven-year-old victim, leaving a lasting impact on her and her family.

King, aged 56 and residing at Benridge Park, Newsham, Blyth, was found guilty of multiple charges including two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The court proceedings revealed the extent of his depravity, with the jury convicting him after a week-long trial during which he refused to accept any guilt. The court sentenced him to a total of 12 years in prison for the rapes, an additional seven years for sexual assaults, and four years for causing a child to engage in sexual activity, with all sentences to run concurrently. Furthermore, King was ordered to be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, marking a permanent record of his crimes.

The victim’s mother, a 31-year-old single parent from Northumberland, expressed her relief at the conviction but also her deep anger and desire for a harsher punishment. She stated, “He should rot in hell. It should have been 70 years for what he did. My daughter doesn’t sleep soundly at night. Even now she gets up at two or three o’clock in the morning and needs to talk to me. This depraved man has taken away her innocence, and no child should have to go through what she suffered.”

She recounted how her daughter initially kept her trauma secret out of fear but eventually confided in a playmate, which led to the police being involved. The mother explained that she contacted Northumbria Police in September of the previous year after her daughter disclosed the abuse. The investigation uncovered that King, originally from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, had been abusing the girl while she was too frightened to speak out at first.

During the trial, it was revealed that King had exploited the trust placed in him as a market trader and grandfather. His actions caused significant emotional and psychological trauma to the young girl and her family. Judge Guy Whitburn emphasized the severity of the case, stating, “This was a grave abuse of trust. It’s clear from the victim impact statement what you did has caused severe traumatic distress to the family. The trial has exacerbated what the family has suffered. This is a case which calls for a substantial sentence.”

The mother shared her ongoing efforts to help her daughter recover, noting that her child had to wait until after the trial to receive professional counseling. She expressed her outrage at the defense’s attempt to diminish her daughter’s suffering, criticizing their portrayal of the girl’s innocence at the time of the abuse. “King violated a young innocent girl, yet his defense tried to make out she allowed him to do these despicable acts aged just seven,” she said. She also thanked Northumbria Police’s Detective Constable Leigh Bowman for her diligent investigation and support throughout the ordeal.

In her closing remarks, the mother emphasized her determination to help her daughter regain a sense of normalcy and childhood, despite the trauma they have endured. She acknowledged that King’s bail status prior to sentencing meant he would serve most of his sentence, providing some measure of reassurance. The case underscores the ongoing commitment of law enforcement and the justice system to protect children and hold offenders accountable for such egregious crimes.