SIMON ROBINSON FROM ASHBOURNE CAUGHT IN PAEDOPHILE HUNTING SCHEME INVOLVING DERBYSHIRE GIRL

In a case that has shocked the local community of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, Simon Robinson, a 28-year-old man, found himself at the center of a disturbing online grooming investigation. The incident unfolded in January 2019, when Robinson attempted to lure a 14-year-old girl to his residence in Ashbourne under false pretenses. According to court reports, Robinson had been engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with what he believed was a young girl. He instructed her to travel to Derby, claiming that a taxi would be waiting to transport her to his home in Ashbourne.

However, the individual Robinson was communicating with was not a minor but a vigilant paedophile hunter operating online. This person had been monitoring Robinson’s activities and subsequently handed over his details to the police authorities. The police acted swiftly upon this information, executing a search warrant at Robinson’s residence on October 4, 2017.

During the raid, law enforcement officers seized various electronic devices from Robinson’s home. Subsequent analysis of these devices revealed the presence of highly disturbing child abuse images, including some classified as the most serious category of indecent images of children. These findings confirmed the severity of Robinson’s offending behavior.

Robinson was arrested and faced multiple charges. He pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate with a person under the age of 16 with the intent to groom her. Additionally, he admitted to possessing indecent images of children across all three categories—A, B, and C. His actions and the evidence against him painted a clear picture of a man engaged in serious criminal activity.

Despite the gravity of his offenses, Robinson was spared immediate imprisonment following a comprehensive 45-page psychological assessment. The report concluded that incarceration would not serve his rehabilitation effectively. Instead, the court opted for a more nuanced approach to his sentencing.

Judge Robert Egbuna sentenced Robinson to two years in prison, but this sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed further offenses within that period. The judge also imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which restricts Robinson’s contact with minors and requires him to adhere to specific conditions aimed at preventing future harm. Furthermore, Robinson was placed on the sex offenders register for a decade.

As part of his rehabilitation, the court mandated that Robinson participate in a 90-day sex offender treatment program and complete 30 days of additional rehabilitation activities with the probation service. Judge Egbuna emphasized the seriousness of Robinson’s actions, stating, “I have absolutely no doubt that when you were communicating with the person you thought was a child aged 14 to 15, you knew exactly what you were doing.” He acknowledged the psychological report’s findings, noting that imprisonment could adversely affect Robinson’s mental health but stressed the importance of long-term rehabilitation to protect the public from future offenses.