RYAN ROBSON FROM NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE JAILED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL PREDATION IN NEWCASTLE

A man from Newcastle, Ryan Robson, has been sentenced to prison after engaging in a series of disturbing online predatory behaviors targeting young girls in Newcastle upon Tyne. The case highlights the dangers posed by online predators and the serious consequences they face when caught.

Robson, aged 24, was found to have initiated contact with multiple minors through various social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp. His actions came to light when a mother in Newcastle caught him communicating with her 12-year-old daughter during a live stream. The mother, alarmed by the conversation, intervened and immediately contacted the police. In a separate effort to catch him, the father of a 10-year-old girl posed as his own daughter and engaged with Robson, which ultimately contributed to his arrest.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Robson had sent numerous indecent images and messages to the 12-year-old girl, persuading her to send him explicit videos of herself. Despite being aware of her age, Robson expressed a desire for her to be his girlfriend and repeatedly asked for naked videos. He also sent images of himself in the nude and encouraged her to meet him in person, although she refused. The court heard that Robson's communication with her included explicit messages and videos, which he obtained through various social media apps. His actions caused significant distress to the young girl and her family.

The court was informed that Robson had also contacted a 14-year-old girl on Instagram, inciting her to engage in sexual activity. He told her, “you are going to take them clothes off,” and sent her an explicit image of himself. The girl, feeling vulnerable and wary, was left shaken by the encounter. Additionally, Robson contacted an 11-year-old girl, who was with the 14-year-old at the time, and asked her to remove her clothes. He repeatedly tried to call her via FaceTime and sent messages that she chose to ignore.

Another disturbing case involved a 10-year-old girl who confided in her father about receiving messages from an unknown man. Her father took over the chat and pretended to be his daughter, leading to contact with Robson on Christmas Day last year. During this exchange, Robson told her, “just don’t tell anyone and I’ll show you my ****,” further demonstrating his predatory intent.

In addition to his online misconduct, Robson was found to possess a significant number of indecent images of children, including 69 images classified as Category A, which depict children as young as one to four years old. His criminal record also includes previous convictions for breaching a Sexual Risk Order, which he repeatedly violated by deleting and creating TikTok accounts, purchasing an app to conceal images, and possessing two unregistered phones.

Robson’s breaches extended to threatening to disclose sexual images of a female on TikTok, further demonstrating his ongoing predatory behavior. His actions prompted the court to impose a severe sentence, with Judge Robert Spragg condemning his conduct. Robson was sentenced to eight years in prison, with an extended license period of six additional years. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years and must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Spragg emphasized the devastating impact such offenses have on victims, stating, “This type of offending can have a devastating effect on the young victims who lose their innocence. You are a very high risk of causing significant harm to children.”

Matthew Purves, representing Robson, acknowledged his client’s admission of having certain sexual interests that he recognizes as wrong. The case underscores the importance of vigilance and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online sexual exploitation and protect vulnerable children in Newcastle upon Tyne and beyond.