ROBERT BOURNE FROM TARDEBIGGE JAILED AFTER SHOCKING SWIMMING POOL INCIDENT IN WORCESTER
| Red Rose Database
Tardebigge Child Sexual Abuser
In March 2018, Robert Bourne, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was sentenced to prison following a disturbing incident at a swimming pool in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The 57-year-old resident of Hewell Lane, Tardebigge, was caught engaging in indecent acts while in the water, an act that has once again brought his criminal past into the spotlight.
According to court proceedings, Bourne had deliberately removed the lining of his swimming shorts to facilitate his inappropriate behavior. The incident occurred at a local fitness centre in Bromsgrove, where he was observed following young children around the pool area. The police and court documents reveal that Bourne was performing indecent acts in front of children, including one girl aged just 11 years old during the first incident on January 28 of that year. A subsequent incident took place a few days later, on February 4, involving other children whose identities remain undisclosed.
Prosecutor Paul Whitfield detailed the disturbing nature of the case, stating, “The child reported that she appeared to be being followed by him around the swimming pool. When she went underwater, she observed this defendant with his hands in his swimming shorts. She described him pulling and squeezing his penis, which was exposed. He was looking at her and following her around the pool.”
Further investigation confirmed the girl’s account through CCTV footage, which verified Bourne’s presence at the scene during the times of the incidents. Underwater footage was scrutinized, revealing Bourne following children around the pool while engaging in inappropriate self-stimulation beneath the water’s surface. The footage showed him targeting and following young children, clearly indicating predatory behavior.
It was also noted that Bourne had attended the pool on designated ‘family-friendly’ days, raising concerns about his intentions and the safety of other children present. When police apprehended him on February 22, officers discovered that he had removed the lining from his swimming shorts, further evidence of his attempt to conceal his actions.
Robert Bourne’s criminal record is extensive, with four previous convictions for nine sexual offenses. His past convictions include possession of extreme pornography, creating indecent images of children, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Despite these prior convictions, Bourne had been under supervision, but his recent actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for court orders and public safety.
He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to sign the sex offender register for a period of ten years. The court’s decision underscores the severity of his latest offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
In a separate case from March 2017, Bourne, then aged 56, was spared jail after breaching a court-imposed sexual offences prevention order. The order, issued in March 2013, restricted his internet use and prohibited him from being in the company of children under 16 without social services’ approval. However, Bourne was seen in a coffee shop with a young girl and later in a car with a family, actions that violated the court’s restrictions.
Prosecutor Nicholas O’Brien explained that Bourne’s breaches occurred on August 26 and September 24 of the previous year. In the first instance, he was in a public place with a family, and in the second, he was traveling with them in a vehicle from Bromsgrove to his home. Bourne admitted to these breaches, acknowledging that he should have disclosed his restrictions to the family and that his actions were foolish, though he claimed they were not intended to cause harm.
During the hearing, the court heard that Bourne was a carer for his son, who suffers from back problems, and had recently started working as a pest controller. Judge Nicolas Cartwright sentenced him to 32 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay costs amounting to £1,200. The court’s decisions reflect the seriousness of Bourne’s repeated violations and the ongoing concern for community safety.
According to court proceedings, Bourne had deliberately removed the lining of his swimming shorts to facilitate his inappropriate behavior. The incident occurred at a local fitness centre in Bromsgrove, where he was observed following young children around the pool area. The police and court documents reveal that Bourne was performing indecent acts in front of children, including one girl aged just 11 years old during the first incident on January 28 of that year. A subsequent incident took place a few days later, on February 4, involving other children whose identities remain undisclosed.
Prosecutor Paul Whitfield detailed the disturbing nature of the case, stating, “The child reported that she appeared to be being followed by him around the swimming pool. When she went underwater, she observed this defendant with his hands in his swimming shorts. She described him pulling and squeezing his penis, which was exposed. He was looking at her and following her around the pool.”
Further investigation confirmed the girl’s account through CCTV footage, which verified Bourne’s presence at the scene during the times of the incidents. Underwater footage was scrutinized, revealing Bourne following children around the pool while engaging in inappropriate self-stimulation beneath the water’s surface. The footage showed him targeting and following young children, clearly indicating predatory behavior.
It was also noted that Bourne had attended the pool on designated ‘family-friendly’ days, raising concerns about his intentions and the safety of other children present. When police apprehended him on February 22, officers discovered that he had removed the lining from his swimming shorts, further evidence of his attempt to conceal his actions.
Robert Bourne’s criminal record is extensive, with four previous convictions for nine sexual offenses. His past convictions include possession of extreme pornography, creating indecent images of children, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Despite these prior convictions, Bourne had been under supervision, but his recent actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for court orders and public safety.
He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to sign the sex offender register for a period of ten years. The court’s decision underscores the severity of his latest offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
In a separate case from March 2017, Bourne, then aged 56, was spared jail after breaching a court-imposed sexual offences prevention order. The order, issued in March 2013, restricted his internet use and prohibited him from being in the company of children under 16 without social services’ approval. However, Bourne was seen in a coffee shop with a young girl and later in a car with a family, actions that violated the court’s restrictions.
Prosecutor Nicholas O’Brien explained that Bourne’s breaches occurred on August 26 and September 24 of the previous year. In the first instance, he was in a public place with a family, and in the second, he was traveling with them in a vehicle from Bromsgrove to his home. Bourne admitted to these breaches, acknowledging that he should have disclosed his restrictions to the family and that his actions were foolish, though he claimed they were not intended to cause harm.
During the hearing, the court heard that Bourne was a carer for his son, who suffers from back problems, and had recently started working as a pest controller. Judge Nicolas Cartwright sentenced him to 32 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay costs amounting to £1,200. The court’s decisions reflect the seriousness of Bourne’s repeated violations and the ongoing concern for community safety.