ASCOT MAN ROBERT LANKSHEAR SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF SCHOOLGIRL IN CARDIFF

In June 2013, Robert Lankshear, a 40-year-old man from Ascot, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of grooming a young schoolgirl for sexual activity and engaging in sexual acts with her. The case drew significant attention due to the disturbing details of his actions and the extent of his online and offline misconduct.

According to court proceedings, Lankshear first initiated contact with the 14-year-old girl through her Blackberry messaging account. The girl, who was residing in Bridgend at the time, had posted her contact details on the social networking platform, which Lankshear exploited to establish communication. Over time, their online conversations became increasingly inappropriate, with Lankshear encouraging the girl to send explicit images and engaging her in sexual talk. He falsely claimed to be 29 years old, instead of his actual age of 40, and told her that “age is just a number,” further manipulating her.

It was revealed that the grooming process culminated in a meeting at a hotel in Newport Road, Cardiff, shortly after her 15th birthday. The girl confided in her friends about the encounter, and her parents, along with the police, became involved when she realized she had been used and manipulated by Lankshear. The court heard that Lankshear had traveled from Ascot to Cardiff for the purpose of meeting her, having already booked into the Holland House Hotel to avoid detection.

During the meeting, Lankshear and the girl went to the hotel, where he had instructed her to bring swimwear. The court was told that he put his hand under her bikini bottoms while they were in the jacuzzi. Later, in his hotel room, they shared kisses and engaged in sexual intercourse twice. The girl, who was nervous and inexperienced, disclosed to police that it was her first sexual experience, which she had shared with Lankshear over the internet.

Authorities also uncovered disturbing evidence at Lankshear’s home in Ascot. Police found hundreds of images and videos depicting child abuse, along with extreme pornography involving adults and animals. The investigation revealed that Lankshear was aware the girl was only 14 when they first communicated online. His computer equipment and digital devices confirmed this knowledge, and he had encouraged her to perform sexual acts on herself, telling her that “we are animals of curiosity – we do explore.”

Initially, Lankshear denied any sexual interest in minors, claiming that the illegal images had been downloaded accidentally. However, during court proceedings, he admitted to 25 charges, including the possession of indecent images, grooming the schoolgirl, and engaging in sexual activity with her. He acknowledged that he knew her age when they started chatting and admitted to lying about his age.

In his defense, Lankshear claimed to be suffering from a sex addiction and stated that he was undergoing therapy. Despite reports from experts classifying him as a “low risk” to others and a probation report describing him as “medium risk,” Judge Rhys Rowlands expressed strong disapproval. The judge stated, “You were living a lie. Outwardly you appeared to be a successful man, married with two children, but you were living an immoral and depraved lifestyle and you took advantage of a child.”

The judge emphasized the lasting impact such abuse could have on the victim, noting that the girl’s first sexual experience was tainted by her encounter with Lankshear, which could have profound psychological effects in the future. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of his crimes and the need to protect vulnerable minors from predators like him.