A CHELMSLEY WOOD man who raped and sexually assaulted four children has been jailed – after his brave victims came forward to speak against him.
Derek Robinson, aged 63, committed the offenses when he was in his 20s.
West Midlands Police said two women and two men were aged between eight and 17 when they were routinely abused in the mid-80s to 90s.
Robinson was convicted in November and earlier this month he was jailed for 23 years.
He has also been ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for life and will be bound by a two-year licence period upon his release.
The jury failed to reach a decision on four charges of indecent assault.
West Midlands Police said most of the offences took place at an address in Chelmsley Wood where Robinson lived at the time, but one woman – now aged 41 – told how he raped her multiple times a day during a weekend trip
She also witnessed Robinson committing sexual acts against the boys over a period spanning many years.
West Midlands Police said it would not have been able to secure justice against Robinson had it not been for the bravery and conviction of those who disclosed the torment they went through and supported the prosecution.
Detective Constable Becci Jones, who worked in the Public Protection Unit (PPU) said: “All four survivors deserve huge credit – this was not easy for them.
“They handled themselves with great dignity and were compelling witnesses.
“Robinson suggested they were all fabricating their accounts – but they were very plausible, with lots of consistency across their accounts of what happened – and it is beyond the bounds of reason they could hatch such similar stories as part of a detailed conspiracy to convict Robinson.
“They described trying to put the abuse to the back of their minds as their way of handling the psychological effect of Robinson’s abuse.
“They kept the awful experiences to themselves but we helped them disclose what happened, at their pace when they were ready to talk.
“At the time Robinson convinced them what was happening was normal. It was important to show that what happened wasn’t right, it was shocking abuse and that it’s important for the offender to face justice for what he’d put them through.”
The offences were first raised with the police in January 2019 after a woman revealed to a manager she’d been abused and witnessed others suffering at Robinson’s hands.
To report sexual or physical abuse contact police on 101 or Horizon SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) online at https://horizonsarc.org.uk/ You or call 0800 970 0375.
