The South Gloucestershire Paedophile, Robert Ponter, a 57-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the sexual abuse of three minors.
Robert Ponter, from Longwell Green, South Gloucestershire, admitted guilt at Bristol Crown Court to three charges of raping a girl under the age of 16. The victim was between 11 and 15 years old at the time of the acts.
Robert Ponter also acknowledged three allegations of indecent assault—two of one 14-year-old girl and one concerning another girl of the same age.
The assaults occurred in the Bristol region from 1998 to 2007.
In addition to his custodial sentence, Robert Ponter was issued with an indefinite restraining order banning him from ever contacting his victims again.
Robert Ponter was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender indefinitely.
Police received reports about Robert Ponter in 2007 and 2008. Investigations were carried out, but there was insufficient evidence to charge him with any offences at the time.
Detectives received a third report in 2021 and subsequently reapproached the victims who’d previously reported Robert Ponter’s abuse to ask for their permission to investigate further what happened to them.
In July 2024, following the conclusion of this investigation, Robert Ponter was charged with sexually abusing all three victims.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy Heaps said: “Robert Ponter took advantage of three girls over many years, exploiting their young age to carry out his vile crimes.
“All three of his victims have demonstrated great courage by reporting what happened to them and providing evidence, which resulted in Robert Ponter pleading guilty to all the offences during his first appearance at court.
“They continue to have access to specialist support services, and I hope the fact Robert Ponter has been jailed for 14 years gives them a sense of closure.”
She added: “No investigation is ever closed, and if new information or supporting evidence comes to light, such as when we received the most recent report, we will revisit inquiries and do everything we can to get justice for victims.
“If you have been affected by this inquiry, please contact us; we can provide support and look into any reports you want to make.”
You can report rape or sexual assault, whether it is recent or non-recent, online or by calling 101.
If you are a victim of sexual assault or rape, you can self-refer to The Bridge, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre available 24/7, 365 days a year. Visit their website or call 0117 342 6999.
You can also visit www.thisisnotanexcuse.org.uk for details of charities and organisations that are experts in supporting victims.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.