Trevor Robertson

Trevor Robertson, a 63-year-old man now residing in Devonshire Road, Laindon, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday to challenge a restraining order that prohibits him from visiting Suffolk without permission. The order, imposed after his release from prison in 2017, was designed to protect the victim of his serious sexual offences from any potential encounters with him.

Robertson was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2013 following a jury conviction at the same court for two counts of rape, false imprisonment, and making threats to kill. The offences occurred approximately a decade prior, when Robertson lured the female victim to his former home in Combs, near Stowmarket, under the false pretence of taking her to the theatre. Upon her arrival, he tied her hands to the bedposts and held a large hunting knife to her throat, subjecting her to a terrifying ordeal.

During the assault, Robertson threatened to kill the woman and claimed to have a syringe filled with a date-rape drug that would paralyse her if she did not comply. These threats were part of the coercion that enabled the rapes. The court heard detailed evidence of these events during his 2013 trial, leading to his lengthy custodial sentence.

Post-release, the restraining order was varied in 2021 to permit supervised visits to his elderly mother in Stowmarket, requiring notification to the public protection unit and accompaniment by unit staff. Robertson argued for further amendments, citing 22 instances where his visit requests went unanswered in time. Prosecuting, Marc Brown opposed the application, emphasising that the order's purpose was to allow the victim to live without fear of encountering Robertson.

Judge David Pugh refused the application, upholding the existing restrictions. He urged the public protection unit to respond more promptly to future requests. This case, reported by Jane Hunt for the East Anglian Daily Times, highlights ongoing measures to safeguard victims of sexual violence even after an offender's release.