Prolific paedophile jailed for decades of grooming and assaults

A paedophile pensioner named Royston Gill has a long history of sexually abusing young girls, with his most recent offences involving sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl by grooming her with gifts such as McDonald's takeaways, toys, and other items, before putting his hand inside her underwear. Prosecutors revealed that Gill had groomed the girl over several months, building trust through gifts, and she considered him a friend. After the attack, he was reported to police and arrested at his home in Llandaff North, where officers found concerning items including a baby doll, a ball-bearing gun, a drone, sweets, and camera equipment. Gill claimed he used the doll to teach children to dress babies, the camera for wildlife filming, and the gun for target shooting. Despite being released on bail, Gill went on to sexually assault a six-year-old girl by approaching her from behind and rubbing her thigh and upper leg, an act he claimed was 'playing a joke.' One of his victims was hospitalized due to trauma, suffering severe emotional distress, while another was left unable to sleep and crying uncontrollably. Gill has a criminal history dating back to 1962 and 1993, with previous convictions for indecent assault on young girls, including an incident involving a fairground ride where he touched a girl’s private parts. In court, Gill pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching. The judge noted that Gill had groomed his victims for extended periods, using toys and food as tools for manipulation, and emphasized that his frailty did not diminish the danger he posed, imposing a nine-year extended sentence of five years in custody plus a four-year license period.