Unemployed photographer from Wisbech jailed for 16 years after being convicted of raping 5-year-old girl
Robert Skerman - Credit: Archant
An unemployed photographer and former restaurant worker from Wisbech has been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of raping a five-year-old girl.
Robert Skerman was also given an additional four years suspended sentence and put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
An NSPCC spokesman for the East of England said: “This was a horrendous incident, in which Skerman carried out a shocking sexual attack on a young girl purely for his own sexual gratification.
“The impact of this horrific abuse on his defenceless victim, as well as her family, has clearly been enormous, so it is crucial that they continue to receive the right support to recover from this awful episode.
“Understandably, this case will send shockwaves throughout the local community.”
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The offences were committed in Yeovil and Skerman was convicted after a four day trial at Taunton Crown Court.
The jury found him guilty of raping a girl under the age of 13, two counts of causing a girl under13 to engage in sexual activity and two further counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13.
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Skerman had admitted other charges including possession of child photography – the court was told police found the images on a laptop when he was arrested.
