PHILIP ROBSON FROM GORING ESCAPES JAIL AFTER BEING FOUND WITH CHILD AND ANIMAL ABUSE IMAGES IN OXFORD

In a case that has shocked the local community of Goring and the wider Oxfordshire area, 77-year-old Philip Robson narrowly avoided imprisonment after being found in possession of a significant collection of illegal and disturbing images. The incident came to light after authorities executed a warrant for Robson’s arrest in March 2018, leading to a lengthy investigation that culminated in his appearance at Oxford Crown Court in February 2021.

Robson, who has no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the possession of indecent images. The court was informed that he possessed a total of 108 extreme pornographic images involving animals, which are classified as prohibited material. Additionally, he was found to have 105 computer-generated images depicting children, which are also illegal under current laws. The images included children ranging in age from as young as three to thirteen years old. Furthermore, Robson possessed four images categorized as B and five as C, indicating varying degrees of severity in the content.

Despite the gravity of the charges, Robson was sentenced to 16 months in prison, but this sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he will not serve time unless he commits another offence within that period. The court heard that the investigation into Robson’s activities was delayed, with Judge Michael Gledhill QC questioning why it took so long to bring the case to court. The images were not viewed for classification until March 2019, over a year after the warrant was executed.

Judge Gledhill expressed his frustration over the delay, stating, “Why there was this gap, I have no idea – whether it was utter negligence or lack of resources, but it is unacceptable.” He acknowledged Robson’s guilty plea and noted that, in his later years, Robson had developed an extremely unhealthy relationship with child pornography. The judge described the material found as “utter filth” and remarked on the apparent contradiction between Robson’s outwardly normal character and his hidden involvement in such disturbing activities, describing him as a “Jekyll and Hyde character.”

While Robson avoided jail time, the case has left a lasting impact on the community of Goring and highlights ongoing concerns about the presence of such illegal material within seemingly ordinary individuals.