Jail for priest who abused boys

Richard John James RobinsonJames Robinson moved to California in the 1980s

A former priest has been found guilty of sexually abusing boys when he served at churches in the West Midlands.

Richard John James Robinson, 73, had denied 21 charges relating to alleged offences against six boys aged under 16 between 1959 and 1983.

One victim told Birmingham Crown Court he had “carried” Mr Robinson’s face with him since being assaulted.

Mr Robinson, known to parishioners as Father Jim, was extradited from the US in August last year.

He worked in churches in Staffordshire, Birmingham and Coventry until the mid-1980s, when he moved to California.

The court had heard prosecutor John Atwood say Robinson had “something of a knack for spotting the quiet child of the family”.

He told the court Robinson was sexually attracted to young boys and used the trust and respect that came with his position to prey on vulnerable children for his own sexual gratification.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *