ROBERT MULHERN'S CRIMES IN SWINDON: ONLINE GAMER SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING YOUNG BOYS
In November 2017, Robert Mulhern, a resident of Swindon, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of heinous sexual offences involving minors.The case revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and exploitation carried out through online gaming platforms and social media.
Mulhern, aged 24 at the time, had already been under a suspended sentence for similar offences when he resumed contact with young boys via Xbox gaming.
His actions escalated to coercing an 11-year-old boy to perform a sexual act on himself while he watched over Skype, a disturbing act that was part of a series of grooming behaviors.
Additionally, Mulhern persuaded the boy's 13-year-old brother to spank the schoolboy's naked bottom for him, again while he observed online.
The court heard that Mulhern's criminal activities began to surface when he was just a few months into a previous suspended sentence, which had been imposed in October of the previous year.
Despite the restrictions placed on him, he continued to seek out vulnerable children through online gaming, specifically targeting young boys in Swindon and beyond.
In May of that year, Mulhern extended his reach by inviting a 13-year-old boy from Bury, Lancashire, to join his gaming clan.
He then manipulated the boy into recruiting his younger brother, and after sending them both money—partly to buy a new tablet—he instructed them to undergo an initiation process.
This involved installing Skype and engaging in acts of self-harm and nudity, which Mulhern watched and encouraged.
He also coerced the boys into sending explicit pictures of themselves.
Further disturbing was Mulhern's request for the 11-year-old to perform a sexual act on himself while he watched and talked him through the process.
Throughout these interactions, he repeatedly instructed the boys not to tell their mother, and he expressed a desire to meet them in person for outings such as going to the movies and eating out.
Mulhern's predatory behavior extended to another 13-year-old boy, a friend of the older brother, who became concerned and confided in his parents about Mulhern's inappropriate messages.
Authorities tracked Mulhern down through his bank details, leading to his arrest.
During police questioning, Mulhern claimed he was not motivated by sexual intent.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
It was revealed that last year, he had been spared jail after being caught encouraging underage boys to perform similar acts online.
However, even after his arrest, Mulhern continued to contact victims using a fake female online persona, demonstrating a pattern of manipulative behavior.
Judge Robert Pawson sentenced Mulhern to five years in prison, with the stipulation that he would not be eligible for parole until serving at least two-thirds of his sentence.
Additionally, he was ordered to be on license for two extra years and to register as a sex offender for life.
The judge emphasized the calculated and manipulative nature of Mulhern's offenses, noting that he groomed his victims carefully, instructed them to hide his activities, and continued offending despite previous police interventions.
In his remarks, Judge Pawson highlighted the high risk Mulhern posed to children, citing a probation report that linked his offending to personal trauma, including the death of his father.
The report also described Mulhern's tendency to blame victims and manipulate others to facilitate his continued offending.
The court expressed concern over his high likelihood of reoffending and the potential for serious harm to children, underscoring the severity of his crimes committed in Swindon and beyond.
