Registered sex offender jailed after caught talking to a person he believed was a child on-line

A registered sex offender has been sentenced after he was caught talking sexually to a child’s profile on-line.

Ian Robinson, of Congleton Road in Sandbach, believed the person he was talking to online was a 13-year-old girl.

The 60-year-old was arranging to meet her for sexual intercourse.

On Friday 5 October the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) supported detectives from Cheshire Constabulary’s Online Child Abuse Investigations Team (OCAIT) with their investigation into Robinson who had travelled from his home into Liverpool where he thought he would be meeting his intended victim.

He was arrested on Edge Lane by officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and taken into custody for questioning.

Robinson, who had previously been convicted and jailed for a similar offence, was subsequently charged and remanded the following day.

Robinson pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a girl under 16-years of age and attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.

On 4 November he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Detective Sergeant Mark Fletcher, from Cheshire Constabulary’s OCAIT, said:

“Ian Robinson is a dangerous offender and has shown he will go to great lengths to offend against children.

“The work of Cheshire’s police officers and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit has put Robinson behind bars for some time with the associated protection it offers to the public.

“This should be a lesson to anyone who is minded to offend in this way. You will be caught and sent to prison.”

DCI Dave Meeney from North West Regional Organised Crime Unit said:

“We welcome the sentencing of Ian Robinson this week and hope people in Cheshire feel safer in the knowledge that this sexual predator is now behind bars.

“Protecting children from sexual exploitation is a continued priority of the NWROCU and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure those involved in these offences are identified, arrested and prosecuted through the criminal justice system.”