ROBERT LEE'S SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BRADFORD AND COLEFORD REVEALED AFTER 23 YEARS

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Bradford and Coleford, Robert Lee, a man with a disturbing history of child sexual offences, was finally brought to justice after a lengthy period of concealment and silence. The details emerged during a court hearing at Gloucester Crown Court, revealing a troubling pattern of abuse and a disturbing failure by religious elders to report the crimes.

According to prosecutor Kerry Barker, Lee's heinous act against a young girl in the Forest of Dean remained hidden for over two decades. The victim, who was just 17 at the time, was assaulted in March 1995 in Coleford, where Lee, then known by the surname Howarth, was living. Both Lee and the victim's family were members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses church, a connection that played a significant role in the case’s delayed discovery.

It was disclosed that the church elders advised the victim’s mother not to report the incident to the police. This advice, which was accepted by the mother, resulted in the case being kept under wraps for many years. The victim, now an adult, eventually decided to come forward after hearing that Lee was returning to the area. Her fears and memories of the abuse resurfaced, prompting her to report the matter to law enforcement authorities.

Further investigations uncovered that Lee, who later moved to Bradford and was residing on Alexandra Road, had a troubling history of sexual offences involving children. In 2008, he was cautioned for possessing indecent images, and in 2016, he was convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children. These revelations underscored a long-standing and persistent interest in child exploitation, raising serious concerns about his ongoing threat to children.

During the court proceedings, Lee admitted to indecently assaulting the girl in 1995. Judge Ian Lawrie QC sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. The judge expressed concern about the church’s role in advising the victim’s mother not to report the crime, emphasizing that this decision contributed to the delay in justice.

Judge Lawrie also imposed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order on Lee, highlighting the seriousness of his offences and the potential risk he poses. The judge remarked, “There are some very dark shadows in your soul. Looking at your history, I think you pose a risk,” and noted that Lee’s apparent fixation on children was evident from his past offences.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Lawrie criticized Lee’s late guilty plea, calling him a “coward” for subjecting the victim to prolonged distress and uncertainty. He warned that if Lee failed to comply with the conditions of the order, he could face imprisonment. The court’s decision reflects a broader concern about safeguarding children and ensuring that offenders like Lee are kept under strict supervision to prevent further harm.

The case has brought to light the tragic consequences of silence and misplaced trust within religious communities, and the importance of vigilant reporting and intervention to protect vulnerable children from predators like Robert Lee.