ROBERT MITCHELL SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD RAPE IN CANTERBURY

In a chilling case that has shocked the community of Canterbury, Robert Mitchell, a 38-year-old man, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of a young girl. The offences, which spanned from 1999 to 2003, included multiple counts of rape and indecency, with Mitchell recording his depraved acts on video as the young victim clung to her teddy bear in terror.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge David Mitchell expressed profound disgust at the nature of the crimes. Prior to delivering his verdict, the judge viewed the distressing videos recorded by Mitchell himself. In a statement reflecting his extensive experience in the legal field, Judge Mitchell remarked that these videos were arguably the most disturbing he had encountered in his 34 years of service, both at the bar and on the bench.

At the time of his arrest, Mitchell's last known address was on Thanington Road in Canterbury. He had admitted to a total of 12 charges related to the abuse of the young girl, which included two counts of rape and nine other offences such as indecency with a child, indecent assault, and the taking of indecent photographs. The court also found him guilty of possessing indecent images, for which he received a concurrent six-month sentence. The judge ordered that Mitchell serve a minimum of seven and a half years before he could be considered for parole.

In addition to his prison sentence, Mitchell will remain on licence for the remainder of his life upon release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to a lifetime sexual offence prevention order, aimed at restricting his activities and monitoring his behaviour to protect the public.

Further evidence presented during the trial revealed disturbing material recovered by police, including a notebook linked to a woman residing at a hostel where Mitchell had been staying. The contents of this notebook contained lurid sexual comments, and in one entry, Mitchell explicitly expressed a willingness to kill and rape the woman if she became intoxicated or drugged, indicating a pattern of predatory and violent tendencies.

It was also revealed that Mitchell had been expelled from his marital home in 2003. The court heard a statement from his estranged wife, describing his persistent sexual demands and noting that he frequently made videos of his acts. The case highlighted the extent of Mitchell's depravity and the calculated nature of his offending.

Mitchell’s legal representative, Colin Aylott, acknowledged the gravity of his client’s actions, stating that Mitchell had expressed remorse to the victim and her family. Aylott emphasized that Mitchell did not seek to minimize the seriousness of his crimes, describing him as a man who had lost everything due to his actions.

Judge Mitchell concluded the hearing by condemning Mitchell’s conduct, emphasizing that the defendant had pleaded guilty to some of the most depraved and disgusting sexual acts involving a child. The judge remarked that Mitchell had treated the young girl more as an object for his sexual gratification than as a human being, underscoring the severity and repulsiveness of his crimes.