A Blackpool Paedophile, Graham Robinson, who was caught by peadophile hunters when he tried to engage in explicit conversation with two supposed 14-year-old girls has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Graham Robinson, 49, used the online messaging site ‘Chathour’ to speak to the girls online. However the profiles, which had the names Sara and Summer, were being operated by decoys, who were working for an online child protection group.
Sarah Magill, prosecuting, said the group was aware youngsters could enter false dates of birth to get around the minimum age requirements of the site. The Sara and Summer profiles showed as being aged 18, but very quickly revealed their ages as 14 once the chat got underway.
When ‘Sara’ revealed her age in May 2021, Graham Robinson replied: “I was going to compliment your picture but that’s wrong. It’s not your fault.”
He then began speaking about the girl’s pyjamas, saying: “I bet you look cute in them.” In the days that followed, Graham Robinson steered the conversation to asking whether the girl had a boyfriend, and spoke about going on a date and kissing her.
On May 21 Graham Robinson moved the conversation from Chathour to Kik messenger – an encrypted chat service. The conversation became more explicit and he suggested playing strip poker, Ms Magill told the court.
In another conversation on WhatsApp he discussed watching porn and committing sex acts. He made arrangements to meet ‘Sara’ but then cancelled the plans as he said he had a medical emergency.
In June 2021, Graham Robinson began an explicit conversation with ‘Summer’ after being told she was 14. He moved the conversation to WhatsApp and arranged a meet up – which he cancelled.
Members of the child protection group went to Graham Robinson’s home to confront him. However when they learned he was not there they went to his work, where he was arrested.
A black laptop and Samsung mobile phone were seized which contained two category C indecent images, one category A and one category B, along with file shredding software.
During his interview, Robinson told police officers he started using Chathour because he was lonely but believed it was a fantasy website. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child.
Paul Humphreys, defending, said Robinson lives with parents and provides mutual support to them. He has a number of health conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver and has suffered a stroke in the time since his arrest.
In a presentence report, Graham Robinson denied having a sexual interest in children but the Probation Service said they could work with him to address his offending. He has no record of offending before or since the incidents in 2021.
Judge Richard Gioserano, sentencing, said: “I have got to take into consideration the fact that these were attempts. there was no risk of harm or distress being caused because you weren’t communicating with a real child.
“It is not mitigation, even if it is true, that you have no sexual interest in children. I don’t accept for a minute that it is true – these offences alone indicate you do. You aren’t prepared to admit that but you aren’t the first defendant who pleads guilty in the hope of avoiding prison to not admit what is obvious to everyone else.”
Judge Gioserano said he considered Graham Robinson’s previous good character [Editor’s note: well, apart from wanting to rape children], health problems and the delay since the arrest when passing sentence.
“You cut a sorry figure.” he added. “The only people you really have any contact with are your elderly parents.”
He sentenced Graham Robinson, of Grantham Road, Blackpool, to 12 months suspended for two years with 30 days rehabilitation activity requirements and a six month alcohol treatment program. He also made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements for 10 years.
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