Robin James Elms

Robin James Elms, a 23-year-old freelance nanny from Hunston near Chichester, has been sentenced to 20 years and six months in prison for a series of child sex offences committed while working in private homes. Elms, who secured employment through online childcare agencies, exploited the trust of families by grooming them and moving between households to perpetrate his crimes. The offences, which took place between 2018 and 2020, involved nine children aged between two and 14 across five households in West Sussex and east Kent.

At Portsmouth Crown Court, Elms pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault, five counts of taking indecent videos of children, and four counts of voyeurism. The court heard how Elms 'groomed the families' and 'beguiled them', often making them feel sorry for him to gain access to their children. Seven of the victims were from three households in West Sussex, while two were from two households in east Kent. In addition to the child offences, Elms admitted to one charge of sexually assaulting an adult man, though this was unrelated to his childcare work.

Detective Constable Chris Smith of Sussex Police described the case as 'horrendous', stating: 'Elms used his access, and the trust placed in him by the parents, to systematically abuse children in their own homes. His offences were horrendous breaches of trust, which are every parent's greatest concern.' Notably, Elms had no previous convictions and no issues on his DBS record at the time, with parents having found him through reputable agencies.

Judge Lance Ashworth addressed Elms directly during sentencing, saying: 'You groomed the families, moving from home to home, beguiling them and making them feel sorry for you.' Of the total sentence, Elms will serve 15 years and six months in prison, followed by five years on extended licence supervision. The case was prosecuted by Sussex Police, highlighting the dangers of unchecked access in childcare roles.