ROBERT WADE FROM FARNHAM SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES NEAR DORSET CARAVAN PARK

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Robert Wade, a 65-year-old man from Farnham, was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences involving a young girl. The incident took place in the woods near a Dorset caravan park, specifically at the Norden Farm caravan site close to Corfe Castle, during the weekend of July 19 last year.

Wade was found to have engaged in reprehensible acts against a five-year-old girl, which included exposing himself and touching her over her clothing while they were walking in the woods. The court heard that Wade returned to the same location later that weekend, where he pulled the young girl towards him by her waist and repeated a sexual act, again touching her over her clothing. These actions were described as 'vile' and deeply disturbing.

Prosecutor Heather Shimmen detailed to Dorchester Crown Court that Wade’s conduct was both predatory and heinous. Wade admitted to police that he had committed a sexual act in the woods but claimed he was unaware of the girl’s presence at the time. He also denied any sexual attraction towards the child, despite the evidence of his actions.

The court was informed that Wade’s parents of the girl expressed relief upon hearing Wade’s admissions, as it meant the young girl would not be required to testify in court, sparing her from further trauma. Wade’s criminal record showed a long period of good conduct, with no previous convictions for approximately 30 years, and the offences he committed this time were entirely different in nature.

Rufus Taylor, defending Wade, highlighted that Wade, who works as a forklift truck driver and resides on Rankine Close, Badshot Lea, Farnham, Surrey, had not been in trouble with the law for decades. He argued that Wade’s guilty plea was a mitigating factor, as it spared the young victim from the ordeal of giving evidence and demonstrated some remorse.

However, Judge Roger Jarvis did not hold back in condemning Wade’s actions. He described the offences as 'deplorable' and emphasized that Wade had 'vilely abused' his young victim. The judge sentenced Wade to a total of 31 months in prison for the sexual offences. Additionally, Wade was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and was subject to a sexual offences prevention order until further notice.

During the sentencing for the possession of indecent images and extreme pornography, Judge Jarvis issued a stark warning. He stated, “These are very worrying offences indeed. In terms of the pictures, there aren’t as many as we sometimes see, but no matter the number, every time you look at such an image, you are complicit in a sexual crime. The more people like you who derive pleasure from these images, the more children are harmed, as more pictures are taken to satisfy demand. Their lives are plainly corrupted.”

The judge further added, “These offences involving extreme pornography are not victimless crimes. Often, the women depicted are trafficked and forced into their involvement. This is something you need to keep in mind when viewing such images.”