A 74-year-old man has been jailed for eight years for raping and sexually abusing a girl in a series of attacks in the north of Scotland between 1982 and 1986, beginning when she was 10 years old.
Michael Robb, 74, of Alves, Moray, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after being found guilty of lewd and libidinous behaviour and practices, indecent assault, and rape. The jury at the High Court in Inverness deliberated for two days before returning the verdicts.
Robb carried out the attacks at locations in the north of Scotland between 1982 and 1986, targeting the child while she slept. The victim told the court how she protested during the abuse, and told prosecutor Anne Bennie she could still hear her own voice saying "stop". Robb denied the charges and accused the woman of fabricating her account.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Collins KC said the abuse had caused the woman "substantial" harm and that she had since lived with panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts. He said it was clear Robb, a first offender, did not accept the verdict. "Inevitably therefore he expresses no remorse or victim empathy, but rather accuses the complainer of fabricating her account for various malicious reasons."
In an interview with the Press and Journal newspaper, the woman thanked the jury for "finding the truth". She said: "I will never know who I could have been, who I should have been if the trajectory of my life wasn't so cruelly changed. I summoned the strength to file a report over three years ago. It has taken until now for me to have my day in court – sadly, this is a reflection of how many cases there are."
Robb was placed on the sex offenders register for life. Judge Collins also imposed a lifelong non-harassment order banning him from contacting his victim.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case shows how sexual abuse victims can wait years for their day in court; the woman said the three years between her report and the verdict reflected the number of cases before the courts.
- The eight-year sentence and the lifelong orders reflect the severity of the harm the judge found.
- The judge's assessment that Robb shows no remorse or victim empathy will shape any future consideration of his case.
Background
This is a historic sexual abuse case: the offences date from 1982 to 1986 and were prosecuted decades later on the victim's testimony. The trial was heard at the High Court in Inverness, with sentencing at Edinburgh after the court obtained a background report. Robb was a first offender. The woman told the court she filed a report more than three years before the verdict.
Key Perspectives
- The victim: thanked the jury for "finding the truth", said the abuse cruelly changed the trajectory of her life, and noted the length of time it took to reach court reflected how many cases there are.
- Judge Simon Collins KC: said Robb caused "substantial" harm and shows no remorse or victim empathy, but rather accuses the woman of fabricating her account for various malicious reasons.
- Michael Robb: denied the charges and, according to the judge, continues to accuse the woman of fabricating her account.
What to Watch
- Any appeal by Robb, who has continued to deny the verdict.
- The long-term effect of the lifelong non-harassment order, which bars contact with the victim.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRobb was jailed for eight years for raping and sexually abusing a girl who was 10 when the abuse began.BBC Scotland: “A man who raped and sexually abused a girl - beginning when she was 10 years old - has been jailed for eight years.”
- SupportedThe offences took place in the north of Scotland between 1982 and 1986, and Robb targeted the girl while she slept.BBC Scotland: “Michael Robb, 74, carried out the attacks at locations in the north of Scotland between 1982 and 1986, targeting the child when she was sleeping.”
- SupportedRobb was 74 and of Alves, Moray.BBC Scotland: “Jurors spent two days deliberating before finding Robb, of Alves, Moray, guilty of three charges.”
- SupportedRobb was found guilty of lewd and libidinous behaviour and practices, indecent assault, and rape.BBC Scotland: “He was found guilty of lewd and libidinous behaviour and practices, indecent assault, and rape.”
- SupportedThe jury at the High Court in Inverness deliberated for two days before reaching its verdicts.STV News: “But jurors found him guilty of three charges after spending two days deliberating their verdicts.”
- SupportedThe victim told prosecutor Anne Bennie she could still hear her own voice saying “stop”.STV News: “She said: “I can still hear my own voice going ‘stop’. ””
- SupportedRobb denied the charges and accused the woman of fabricating her account.BBC Scotland: “while Robb denied the charges and accused the woman of "fabricating" her account.”
- SupportedAt sentencing, Judge Simon Collins KC said the abuse caused substantial harm and that the woman had experienced panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts.BBC Scotland: “A judge said Robb had caused her "substantial" harm, and that she had since lived with panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts.”
- SupportedJudge Collins said Robb did not accept the verdict and expressed no remorse or victim empathy, instead accusing the complainer of fabricating her account for malicious reasons.BBC Scotland: “Inevitably therefore he expresses no remorse or victim empathy, but rather accuses the complainer of fabricating her account for various malicious reasons.”
- SupportedIn an interview with the Press and Journal, the woman thanked the jury for “finding the truth”.BBC Scotland: “In an interview with the Press and Journal newspaper, the woman thanked the jury for "finding the truth" in her words.”
- SupportedThe woman said she had summoned the strength to file a report over three years earlier and that the delay reflected how many cases there are.BBC Scotland: “I summoned the strength to file a report over three years ago. It has taken until now for me to have my day in court – sadly, this is a reflection of how many cases there are.”
- SupportedRobb was placed on the sex offenders register for life and given a lifelong non-harassment order banning contact with his victim.BBC Scotland: “Robb was placed on the sex offenders register for life. Judge Collins also imposed a lifelong non-harassment order on Robb, banning him from contacting his victim.”