September 2017 Cambridge paedophile convinced child he was their ‘boyfriend’ A “vicious paedophile” who convinced a child he was their “boyfriend” has been jailed for 27 years. Robin Matthews, 63, of Hobart Road, Cambridge, took the child to woodland and said he would “bury them alive if they told anyone about the abuse”. Matthews was found guilty of 20 counts of child sexual abuse and one of child cruelty for offences between 1970 and the early 1990s with two children. The victims were as young as four and the abuse lasted years. Sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court, Judge David Farrell said Matthews was a “vile bully, prepared to use a younger child for [his] perverted sexual purposes”. The court heard that “aggressive” Matthews made “serious threats” to one victim and threatened violence if they “made any noise or protested”. One victim did try to speak out, the judge said, but “was not believed”. The judge added the child had been “let down by the authorities at the time” and by the age of 16 believed Matthews to be their boyfriend because of all the sexual things they had done together. Eventually, Matthews was arrested in July 2015 after the pair disclosed the historic abuse. In an impact statement read out in court by prosecutor Charles Myatt, one victim said they felt they had their “childhood stolen away” from them. Matthews was found guilty following a week-long trial of 13 counts of indecent assault, seven counts of buggery and one count of child cruelty. On top of his 27-year prison sentence, he was given an extra year on licence and an order to prevent him from having contact with any children under the age of 18. July 2017 ‘Aggressive’ Cambridge paedophile abused and groomed child An “aggressive” paedophile has been found guilty of sexually abusing and grooming a child Robin Matthews, 63, of Hobart Road, Cambridge, was convicted by a jury of 21 counts of child sex abuse on two young children going back as far as 1970 up until 1992 following a week-long trial. The victims had felt too ashamed to come forward or tell anyone until 2015. Matthews would forcibly take the victims and sexually assault or rape them, before giving them money or threaten to kill them if they told anyone. Matthews drove one victim to a beach where a hole was dug and threatened to put them in it. The victims were as young as four years old and the abuse took place regularly for years. Matthews sexually abused one victim until the age of consent, where the victim felt confused into thinking they were lovers and what they did was normal relationship behaviour. At Cambridge Crown Court today (July 28), Judge David Farrell QC said that the offences have had “awful effects” on the victims. Matthews gave no comment during proceedings, even during evidence – only that “he did not do it”. Judge Farrell, who committed Matthews to custody following the verdict, added that Matthews will get a “very significant” sentence. The court will decide on his sentence on August 31.