ROBERT FAIRWEATHER FROM CHESTER-LE-STREET AND SUNDERLAND JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Chester-Le-Street and Sunderland, Robert Fairweather has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after a series of heinous crimes involving young children. The offences, which spanned from 1998 to 2004, involved the abuse of two vulnerable minors in various residences across Sunderland.

Fairweather, now 36 years old, was first accused of targeting a young schoolgirl. The court was told that he repeatedly subjected her to sexual abuse on multiple occasions. During these encounters, he also instructed her not to disclose what was happening, a tactic often used by predators to maintain control and silence their victims. Prosecutors revealed that during one particularly disturbing incident, Fairweather, who was himself under 18 at the time, coerced the young girl into touching him inappropriately.

The young girl, terrified and confused, kept her ordeal a secret for many years, suffering in silence out of fear and shame. Meanwhile, Fairweather continued his pattern of abuse, this time targeting a young boy. The court heard that between 2003 and 2004, when Fairweather was in his early twenties, he attempted to rape the boy at a residence in Sunderland.

It was only after the victims found the courage to come forward that justice was served. Fairweather, who resides at Roseberry Villas in Chester-Le-Street, was convicted of multiple charges following a jury trial. These included two counts of indecent assault on a child under 14, one count of gross indecency with a child under 14, and an attempted rape of a child under 13. Despite pleading not guilty, the jury found him guilty of all charges.

Judge Stephen Earl, presiding over the case, sentenced Fairweather to seven years in prison. During the sentencing, the judge expressed sympathy for the victims, stating, “Can I say to both [the victims] that no sentence I’m going to pass today will give you back elements of your childhood. That sounds trite but I mean that. I’m required to take account of a significant number of factors in this sentencing exercise, and no sentence I pass will be sufficient for a victim of an offence like this nor, indeed, will any sentence be short enough for the defendant. So, any sentencing exercise such as this, I will please nobody.”

The female victim, who bravely testified in court, shared her feelings of long-standing pain and fear. She explained that she endured her suffering in silence for many years because she believed she would not be believed. She said, “Being so young, I had no idea what was going on but I knew I was not to tell anybody about it. At the time I thought I was doing something wrong.” Her testimony highlighted the lasting impact of Fairweather’s actions, which left her battling depression and anxiety.

As part of his sentence, Fairweather is required to register as a sex offender for life and has been placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. These measures are intended to protect the community and prevent any further harm from the convicted individual.