ANDREW ROBERTSON FROM BUDE AND HOVE SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND ABUSE IN THE 1990S
In a case that has shocked the local communities of Bude and Hove, a man named Andrew Robertson has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for heinous crimes committed against a young boy during the 1990s.The offences, which include multiple counts of rape and indecent assault, came to light only after the victim, now an adult, confided in his partner about the traumatic experiences he endured as a child.
Andrew Robertson, who was known by the nickname 'Gadget', was employed at an amusement arcade in Bude at the time, working as a part-time mechanic responsible for repairing the machines.
It was during this period that he met the young boy, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons.
The court heard that Robertson, then in his twenties, exploited his position and the vulnerability of the underage victim to carry out a series of sexual assaults.
During the trial at Truro Crown Court last week, Robertson denied all charges of rape and indecent assault.
However, after a thorough examination of the evidence, the jury returned a guilty verdict on Monday, leading to his conviction.
The prosecution, led by Jason Beal of the Crown Prosecution Service, detailed how Robertson would sometimes purchase alcohol for the underage boy, facilitating his ability to sexually abuse him.
The court also learned that Robertson would buy presents for the boy, possibly as a means of grooming him for further abuse.
Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, presided over the case and delivered a stern judgment.
He stated that Robertson had deliberately sought opportunities to groom the young victim for his own perverted sexual desires.
The judge described how Robertson, taking advantage of the boy's intoxicated and defenseless state, would force him to perform oral sex and then escalate the abuse to rape, which he described as occurring with
