ROY HOBSON FROM ALVASTON SENTENCED AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT ON TEEN AT DERBY HOME

In September 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded involving Roy Hobson, a teaching assistant employed at Merrill Academy in Derby, who committed a serious sexual assault against an underage girl at his residence in Alvaston. The case was brought before Derby Crown Court, revealing the disturbing details of Hobson’s misconduct and the subsequent legal proceedings.

According to court reports, Hobson, who had been working at Merrill Academy for five years, invited the young girl to his home in Penzance Road in 2017. The girl, whose age was under 16, was taken upstairs where they initially showered together. During this visit, she asked Hobson if he would give her a shoulder massage, which he agreed to do. However, the situation quickly escalated as he proceeded to massage her thighs and then engaged in sexual assault.

The court heard that during what Hobson described as a “moment of madness,” he not only sexually touched the girl but also bit her nose and ear. At one point, he attempted to kiss her on the lips while lying on top of her, actions that caused her significant distress. After the assault, Hobson reportedly expressed concern about losing his job, muttering that he needed to step down from his position. He also told the girl not to tell anyone about what had happened, attempting to conceal his actions.

The girl, however, confided in a family member, who encouraged her to speak with her father. This led to Hobson’s arrest. During police interviews, Hobson initially claimed he did not want to massage the girl because he believed it was “inappropriate,” but he later admitted to the sexual assault.

Hobson pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual assault of a girl under 16. In his sentencing, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey emphasized the breach of trust involved in the case, noting that Hobson was in a position of responsibility and had abused that trust. The judge stated, “You are someone who was in a position of responsibility, who was trusted and who abused that trust. On this day you did something wrong. You took this young girl to your bedroom and that is where your trouble started. You touched her sexually without her consent. It is true you said sorry to her but she was genuinely distressed.”

The victim provided a heartfelt victim impact statement, revealing that she was suffering from flashbacks and nightmares, and was afraid to go out in case she encountered Hobson again. She also shared that the assault had negatively affected her school performance and her ability to concentrate.

In mitigation, Hobson’s defense team presented references describing him as “a dedicated and inspiring worker” and “an upstanding person who gave 110% at the school.” A teacher from Merrill Academy expressed confidence in re-employing Hobson, stating, “He recognizes what he did was utterly stupid. He should have told her to leave the room and, if she had, nothing would have happened. In a few brief moments he gave into temptation and he must have known what he had done because she heard him muttering about having to leave his job. It was a moment of madness.”

Hobson was sentenced to nine months in prison for his actions. Merrill Academy, which joined the Northworthy Trust in January 2018, issued a statement clarifying that Hobson had left Merrill Academy in 2017 and was never an employee of the Trust, thus they could not comment further on his case.