Devon man jailed for child sex abuse

Wade Robinson, aged 31 and of no fixed abode but with links to both Tiverton and Exeter, has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

A Devon man has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years for abusing a young girl and possessing hundreds of images of child sex abuse.

Wade Robinson, aged 31 and of no fixed abode but with links to both Tiverton and Exeter, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to five charges of possession of online child abuse and three counts relating to the sexual assault of a child.

Robinson was also told that upon release he would have to serve three-and-a-half years on licence and will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

An investigation was launched into Robinson after investigators linked him to an online account after a child abuse image was uploaded to a website.

Officers executed a warrant at an address in Exeter in the 2022. Upon arrival, Robinson fled the property by jumping out of the garden window before chucking his phone over a neighbouring fence in an attempt to get rid of it.

Officers managed to detain him in the garden and were alerted by the neighbour that Robinson’s phone was on their garden lawn.

He was arrested and interviewed where he refused to give officers the PIN to his phone, despite this, the digital forensics team were able to open the device. Officers discovered more than a thousand images of child sexual abuse including Category A material, which is of the most serious in nature.

Following Robinson’s arrest, a victim came forward and disclosed that she had been abused by Robinson and provided her account. Several images found on Robinson’s phone were examined and found to be that of the victim who was a child. After professional analysis, detectives managed to provide evidential material to the Crown Prosecution Service and secured eight charges against Robinson.

Detectives from Devon & Cornwall Police managed to build such a strong case against Robinson that he had little option other than to plead guilty to the offences. This guilty plea also spared the victim from having to go through the court process.

Robinson, who refused to come out of his cell to face sentencing, will also be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

On sentencing Judge Adkin commented: “He has refused to engage with the court and is not on the video link and is clearly an individual who doesn’t have the courage to face up to the fact he has committed these incidents of utter depravity.”

Detective Constable Alex Powe said:

“Viewing child abuse material and engaging in criminal activity such as this is inexcusable, and we will work tirelessly to pursue and apprehend such offenders.

“This investigation showcases the importance of building a strong case through tenacious work providing as much evidence as possible leaving the offender little alternative other than to plead guilty.

“I am incredibly proud of the team and extremely proud of the courage of the victim in speaking out. She has been supported by her family and specially trained officers throughout and I do not underestimate the impact this has had on her.”

Support available

If you suspect a child is in immediate danger from sexual abuse or exploitation, call 999 now. If it’s not an emergency please use the “Report” button on our website www.devon-cornwall.police.uk or call 101. You can report child sexual abuse anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

The Stop It Now charity provides an anonymous helpline for anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse and can help if you are worried about your own thoughts, feelings or behaviour, or have any concerns about another adult or young person www.stopitnow.org.uk

You can also visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.