PAUL ROBSON FROM HARTLEPOOL AND SKELTON BREACHES SEX OFFENCES ORDER AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE

In August 2018, a serious legal case unfolded involving Paul Robson, a man with a troubling history linked to child exploitation. Robson, who has connections to Hartlepool and Skelton, was found to have violated a court-imposed order designed to prevent him from accessing indecent material involving minors. This order, known as a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), was originally issued in 2014 after Robson, a former soldier, admitted to creating and possessing a collection of child pornography.

The terms of the SOPO explicitly prohibited Robson from using the internet to view or download any indecent images or videos of children. Additionally, he was required to produce any device capable of internet access for police inspection at any time. Despite these restrictions, authorities discovered that Robson had breached the order in May of that year.

According to court proceedings at Teesside Crown Court, Robson’s offender manager grew concerned after multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact him through phone calls and visits to his residence. On the same day, police stopped Robson’s Ford Fiesta in Yarm Lane, Stockton, and during the stop, officers found a Sky HD box in his vehicle. The following day, Robson was pulled over again while traveling along Seal Sands Road.

During the second stop, police asked Robson if he possessed any devices capable of storing images. He produced a Samsung phone, claiming he had no other devices capable of internet access. However, police searched his vehicle and found a smartphone and a SIM card, leading to his arrest. Although no inappropriate images were located on the devices, they had not been declared to authorities, which constituted a breach of the court order.

Robson explained to police that he used the phone as a backup device in case his primary device failed. The court heard that Robson, who was formerly based in Hartlepool and now residing in Skelton, did not have legal representation during the hearing but admitted to breaching the SOPO.

Judge Sean Morris addressed Robson directly, stating, “You are your own worst enemy,” and sentenced him to three months in jail, suspended for 12 months. This meant Robson would not serve time unless he committed another offence within the suspension period.

Looking back at Robson’s criminal history, it is evident that his issues with indecent images date back to March 2014. At that time, he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children on his mobile phone and computer. Court records reveal that Robson had actively searched internet sites for such material and had even stolen intimate photos from an adult female friend’s phone.

During the 2014 proceedings at Teesside Crown Court, Robson initially claimed that others were responsible for downloading the illicit images. It was only when he was about to stand trial that he finally admitted to storing the images and having a sexual interest in children. Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, expressed his disapproval, stating, “You knew what these images were, you knew you had them, and where they were. You said initially you stumbled across the images and eventually acknowledged a sexual interest in children. You clearly need help.”

The judge also highlighted the troubling delay in Robson’s acknowledgment of his actions, emphasizing the importance of recognizing such behavior. As a result, Robson, of Gulliver Road, Hartlepool, was sentenced to a three-year community order, which included probation supervision and mandatory sex offender treatment. Furthermore, a new Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed to restrict his future internet use, aiming to prevent further offenses.