ROBERT PAYNE FROM GLOUCESTER SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE ENCOURAGEMENT

In a case that has shocked the community of Gloucester, Robert Payne, a 53-year-old lorry driver residing on Kitchener Avenue, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after being found guilty of multiple serious offences related to child exploitation and online abuse.

The investigation was initiated after the Child Exploitation and Protection Centre received intelligence about Payne’s activities on the internet. Authorities discovered that Payne had been engaging in conversations on a website called Tag.com, where he not only posed as a woman but also actively encouraged the sexual abuse of children. This revelation led to a detailed investigation and subsequent arrest.

Payne admitted to possessing a significant collection of indecent images and videos of children, including some classified as the most serious category, which depicted penetrative acts involving children as young as two years old and up to 15. Additionally, he confessed to possessing extreme pornography, including images of a woman engaging in sexual acts with a dog. These offences highlight the disturbing nature of his criminal activities and the grave harm inflicted upon the victims depicted in these materials.

Further charges included two counts of encouraging or assisting in the commission of sexual offences against a child under 13. These offences involved electronic conversations that took place on January 12th and 13th of the same year, during which Payne engaged with another individual, promoting the idea of child sexual abuse.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Michael Cullum addressed Payne directly, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judge stated, “You had in your possession a significant number of the most serious category of images showing penetrative activity with children as young as two and up to 15. This was effectively the rape and torture of children which you were watching for your own sexual gratification.”

He further condemned Payne’s actions by highlighting the contradiction between his role as a grandfather and his online activities. “While you were playing with your granddaughter and contributing to her development, you were also condoning the abuse and suffering of other children of a similar age. These images depict real children whose lives will be forever altered because of the market created by individuals like you,” the judge remarked.

However, the most serious aspect of Payne’s offending, according to the judge, was his online persona as Dawn Jones, a fictional 40-something blonde woman. Under this alias, Payne engaged in conversations with other paedophiles, encouraging them to commit acts of sexual abuse against children. Specifically, he discussed the possibility of a 13-year-old girl being penetrated, actively promoting the idea of such abuse and deriving sexual gratification from these online interactions. The judge clarified that there was no evidence that Payne’s encouragement led to actual abuse, but his actions alone warranted a significant custodial sentence to reflect society’s strong condemnation of such conduct.

In addition to the 20-month prison term, Payne was subjected to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offender register for the same duration. The police executed a raid on Payne’s home on April 13th after receiving a tip-off from the child exploitation agency. During the search, authorities discovered two devices, a desktop computer and a laptop, which contained thirty of the worst Category A videos and five still images of child pornography, along with over forty other less serious films and pictures.

Payne initially denied having any computers, claiming he only used his phone to access the internet and that he did not have an account on Tag.com. However, the search revealed the contrary, and he was subsequently arrested. His online activities included pretending to be Dawn Jones, a mature woman, and engaging in conversations that involved encouraging sexual activity with young girls aged 11 and 12, as well as a 14-year-old boy.

Stephen Ritter, representing Payne, who had no previous convictions, argued that Payne believed he had deleted all child pornography from his devices, which he claimed had not been used for some time. Ritter explained that Payne’s offending was linked to a period of depression following the death of his mother and other personal losses, describing his actions as part of a personal crisis. He questioned what could have motivated Payne to adopt the alter ego of Dawn Jones, suggesting that it was a manifestation of his mental health struggles.

Ultimately, the court recognized the gravity of Payne’s offences and the danger posed by his online predations, leading to the custodial sentence and restrictions imposed to protect the public from further harm.