RICHARD COSBURN FROM GREAT YARMOUTH SENTENCED FOR LIFE OVER CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN THE UK AND OVERSEAS

In a significant and disturbing case, Richard Cosburn, a man from Great Yarmouth, has been handed a life sentence after being convicted of numerous serious sexual offences against children. The sentencing took place at Norwich Crown Court, where it was revealed that Cosburn would serve a minimum of 12 years before he could be considered for parole, marking a severe judicial response to his heinous crimes.

Cosburn, aged 56, admitted to a total of 23 separate offences, which included multiple instances of rape and other sexual abuses involving young victims. His crimes spanned over several years, with some of the abuse occurring as far back as the early 2000s. The court heard that his offending was not confined to the United Kingdom but extended internationally, involving victims in the Philippines and even a case in the United States.

The court was informed that Cosburn, who previously worked as a primary school teacher in various locations including Bradwell, Gorleston, and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, as well as Bromley in south-east London, committed these offences outside of his professional duties. His employment history was scrutinized, but authorities confirmed that his crimes were not linked to his roles as an educator.

One of the most disturbing allegations involved Cosburn forcing a young girl, aged between four and 12 at the time, to drink his urine if she did not comply with his demands. The court also heard that he raped a boy in America while he was asleep and filmed himself abusing two other children, a boy and a girl, in the Philippines. Prosecutor Andrew Thompson detailed that in 2012, Cosburn blindfolded a girl aged around 10 or 11 in the Philippines as he sexually assaulted her.

Police investigations uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images and videos linked to Cosburn’s offences, which were found on electronic devices seized during the investigation. These devices included mobile phones, a camera, a camcorder, a laptop, and memory disks. The evidence pointed to a pattern of abuse that was both local and international in scope.

The case also included a report from one of his victims, who expressed the lasting impact of the abuse. In a statement read aloud in court, the victim said, “Sometimes I find myself closing my eyes to pretend this is all just a bad dream but the feelings of anxiety never go away. My willingness to try and forgive and forget has gone. I will never be able to forgive what he has done.”

Cosburn was initially arrested by the Metropolitan Police in Bromley in October 2020 following reports that he had groomed a young girl in the Great Yarmouth area. The investigation led to the seizure of various electronic devices, which provided crucial evidence of his offending. After Norfolk Police took over the case, further evidence was uncovered, confirming the extent of his criminal activities both within the UK and abroad.

In light of the evidence and the gravity of his crimes, the court sentenced Richard Cosburn to life imprisonment, emphasizing the need for a lengthy minimum term before parole consideration. The case has drawn significant attention due to the international scope of the abuse and the betrayal of trust involved in his roles as a teacher and community figure in Great Yarmouth.